Morning Report: New allegations of misconduct hit interim supervisor

Documents released this week by San Diego Unified shed new light on the allegations against the district’s former school superintendent and the person charged with replacing him.

Two former administrators allege they were harassed by Lamont Jackson, the school’s former principal, and by Fabiola Bagula, who was elected interim principal by the San Diego Unified board last week.

The new documents also show that specific complaints against Jackson came to light months before the district began an investigation into his conduct. They also include allegations that Jackson himself helped cover up the misconduct of others.

Claims against the new superior: The two former administrators, Monika Hazel and Tavga Bustani, allege that Bagula amplified Jackson’s harassment. Hazel’s complaint alleges that Bagula ordered her to speak to her in a “baby girl voice” while cowering and bowing down to her.

District officials said the investigation into Bagula was thorough, but they declined to say whether the allegations against her had actually been made.

Both Hazel and Tavga allege that Jackson’s sexual harassment was related to their career prospects. Both say they understood that they would be promoted if they had sex with Jackson. Both say they believe they were demoted because they refused his advances.

Some administrators say the district does not have a culture where sexual harassment is tolerated, but last month federal officials criticized the district for years of mishandling allegations of sexual misconduct.

Read the whole story here.

If that name sounds familiar: Tavga Bustani was the principal responsible for the most inspiring education story we’ve ever covered in San Diego: the against-all-odds success of Edison Elementary.

A view of SANDAG’s train tunnel

Del Mar, Solana Beach and the Del Mar Fairgrounds all signed a joint agreement this past week to present a united front when it comes to SANDAG’s plans for an underground train tunnel.

The agreement calls for a “mutually agreed upon” process to select a new tunnel route, the Union-Tribune reported.

Let’s go back a moment: The San Diego Association of Governments, the regional transportation agency better known as SANDAG, released three route options for the tunnel in June, narrowing the field to more than a dozen.

The plan is to move about 1.7 miles of the railroad tracks that run along the edge of the Del Mar bluffs into an underground tunnel. It’s called the LOSSAN Rail Realignment project.

But those three options have really ruffled some feathers. Solana Beach and Del Mar Fairgrounds don’t like Option A, and Del Mar residents don’t like Option B or C. Now, the three entities are joining forces to ask SANDAG to work with them to choose a new option.

County selects internal candidates for top positions

After a nationwide search for several key open leadership positions in the county, the county’s new top official is promoting six internal candidates.

County Chief Administrative Officer Ebony Shelton announced Tuesday that nearly 19-year county official Caroline Smith will become her No. 2 starting today, while county finance veteran Joan Bracci will become the county’s chief financial officer next month. Shelton also revealed that fellow county veterans Brian Albright, Kim Giardina, Dahvia Lynch and Andrew Strong will serve as deputy chief administrative officers starting Sept. 30.

The promotions come as the county grapples with a wave of key leadership openings in its nearly 19,000-employee operation that our Lisa Halverstadt chronicled last month. Some stakeholders in the county — including union members and progressives — have signaled they were hoping for outsiders to bring about change in the county.

County spokesman Michael Workman defended the county’s decision to select internal candidates.

“After a nationwide search, with extensive input from community members and stakeholders during each phase of recruitment and selection, the finalists were chosen as those deemed best suited for the role,” Workman wrote. “Each of the individuals selected is a distinguished county leader who is more than ready to lead the organization.”

Hiring processes are ongoing for several other key leadership positions in the county, including public health officer and medical director.

In other news

• The rodeo will return to Petco Park next year. The city of San Diego had flirted with banning such events in response to animal welfare concerns after a horse was injured at the rodeo in January. But efforts stalled when Native American tribes and other groups raised concerns that a ban would harm cultural traditions. (Union-Tribune)
• KPBS reports that Mexican drug cartels are increasingly recruiting young American citizens to smuggle fentanyl into the country.
• As some school districts consider banning cellphones on campus, at least one district is weighing whether the restrictions have been effective. Parents and teachers welcome the bans, but students are asking for some flexibility from the Lakeside Union School District. (CBS 8)
• Two South Bay cities considered banning homeless encampments yesterday. As our South County reporter Jim Hinch wrote earlier this week, support for the bans is growing across the county. City councils that once rejected the idea are now embracing their own rules to crack down on encampments. Read more here.
• Opinion: Michael Stepner, professor of architecture and urban planning and former city architect for the city of San Diego, makes the case for design in a new op-ed for the Voice. He writes, “How we experience the shape of our cities shapes how we feel, how we move, and how we decide where to go.”
• Mayoral candidate Larry Turner was fined $500 on ethics charges after he failed to include required information on some flyers. (Union-Tribune)

The Morning Report was written by Will Huntsberry, Lisa Halverstadt, and Andrea Lopez-Villafaña. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Scott Lewis.