ORANGE : School District Sued by Union President

The Orange Unified School District’s legal troubles mounted Wednesday when the president of the classified employees’ union filed a suit saying administrators ousted her in retaliation for her union work.

Wednesday’s action follows a lawsuit filed last month by three of the district’s top administrators, who are seeking $20 million each in damages against the district for alleged invasion of privacy, defamation, emotional distress and damage to their reputations following an investigation into alleged sexual harassment.

The latest suit alleges that union president Becky Mayers, 52, was removed from her job as a delivery driver because of an administrative “vendetta” against her. The suit seeks reinstatement and $2.1 million in damages plus punitive damages from the district.

The suit alleges that Chief Fiscal Officer Joyce Capelle wanted to “get rid of” Mayers. Capelle is one of the three administrators who is suing the district.

Capelle and other district officials, however, said political motivations played no role in removing Mayers, who has served as union president for 15 of the last 16 years. Rather, the district says, the action was taken because Mayers has back and shoulder ailments and could no longer meet the physical requirements of the position.

“I certainly don’t have a vendetta against Becky,” Capelle said. “It certainly would not be my decision (to move her out of her job) anyway. This is the outcome of lawyers versus lawyers.”

Capelle and other district officials have frequently clashed with classified union officials over the last three years, during which $11.5 million has been slashed from the district’s budgets. The cutbacks have resulted in layoffs of teachers and classified personnel, and in increased class size.

Other district officials contacted Wednesday would not comment on the suit since it involves a personnel issue.

Along with Capelle, the suit names the district’s head of human resources, Jack Elsner, as an administrator responsible for Mayers’ removal in May. Elsner was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

The suit acknowledges that Mayers suffers from back and shoulder problems but alleges that the district failed to accommodate her.

Because of the stress of losing her job, Mayers is undergoing psychological counseling, the suit says. Mayers has been working as a school bus driver since September.

The earlier suit alleges that the district failed to accommodate the medical condition of Deputy Supt. Richard L. Donoghue, who underwent a liver transplant last year.