San Diego Unified Launches Investigation into Superintendent Lamont Jackson

The San Diego Unified School District is currently embroiled in a controversy surrounding Superintendent Lamont Jackson, as the district has launched an investigation into him for undisclosed reasons. The school board has hired the firm Sanchez & Amador to conduct the investigation, which is expected to cost about $100,000.

The probe will be led by attorney Lupe Valencia, who specializes in employee internal investigations, including harassment, discrimination, whistleblower retaliation, and alleged fraudulent business practices. District spokesperson Maureen Magee declined to comment on the reason for the investigation or whether Jackson would be placed on leave pending the results.

Jackson, who has been leading the district since 2021, has a long history within the district, working in various roles before being appointed as superintendent. His annual salary is currently $375,000, and his contract is set to expire in 2027.

Despite some areas for improvement listed in his last evaluation report, the board stated that Jackson is the most qualified leader to lead the district on a daily basis and is widely revered by staff for his leadership.

Jackson is also named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by 11 San Diego Unified police officers alleging harassment and discrimination from multiple police department supervisors, including Chief Alfonso Contreras, whom Jackson appointed in 2022. It is unclear whether the ongoing investigation and the lawsuit are related.

The district had previously commissioned an investigation into the police allegations, which is still ongoing. The outcome of the investigation into Jackson remains to be seen as the community waits for more information on this developing story.