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Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
CVUSD teachers' union president sues district, alleges discrimination against non-Latino employees
The president of the teachers' union at Coachella Valley Unified School District is suing the school district, alleging retaliation and discrimination. Here's what you need to know. The complaint, which was filed on March 11 on behalf of Carissa Carrera, alleges retaliation for reporting racial discrimination against non-Latino employees and corruption within the district. She also claims she was falsely accused of misusing district funds for her son's mental health care, prompting an unfounded law enforcement investigation that resulted in a privacy violation and the unauthorized release of medical records. The complaint names the school district; Superintendent Frances Esparza; two board members, Jesus Gonzalez and Joey Acuña Jr.; Bea Gonzalez, CVUSD's director of expanded learning; the Riverside County Latino Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services and its executive director, Leonel Contreras; and 25 unnamed individuals. Carrera, who has worked at the district since 2004, has led the teachers' union as its president since 2017. Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez, no relation to Jesus Gonzalez, recently honored Carissa Carrera the Woman of the Year for Assembly District 36 in recognition of her advocacy for educators, students, and the community. The complaint alleges that Carrera was retaliated against for reporting racial discrimination against non-Latino employees and corruption within the district. She claims the district has openly favored Latino candidates for jobs and promotions, while excluding or retaliating against non-Latino employees. Carrera also raised concerns about non-Latino employees being laid off at a higher rate than Latino employees, according to the lawsuit. Carrera was placed on paid administrative leave just days before the November general election, during which she and the union actively opposed Jesus Gonzalez's re-election. She had filed two complaints with the Fair Political Practices Commission against Gonzalez and Acuña, who was running for the California State Assembly, alleging financial conflicts of interest. More: Special election results: Incumbents lead Coachella Valley Unified school board races in unofficial results More: How much money is being raised by Coachella Valley Unified's school board candidates More: What voters should know about Coachella Valley Unified's special election in Imperial County "In retaliation against Ms. Carrera for her engagement in these protected activities, and due to Ms. Carrera's non-Latino racial identity, Defendants began in 2023 and 2024 began an increasingly hostile campaign of harassment, discrimination, microaggression, and intentional actions meant to hurt Ms. Carrera's reputation, career, and standing in the community," the complaint read. Days after Carrera filed her complaint with the FPPC, she said the school district placed her on leave on Oct. 25. The district later issued a press release stating that an employee was under investigation for allegedly misusing district funds, which the Riverside County Sheriff's Department later determined to be "unfounded." An incident report provided by CVTA in December detailed a deputy's investigation into Carrera, which began in October after the sheriff's department was contacted by a private investigator hired by the school district. The private investigator was looking into a "possible fraudulent incident" involving Carrera's use of services at the Riverside County Latino Commission, a contracted provider for the district, for her minor son, who was then a student at Desert Sands Unified School District. "As a direct and proximate result, Plaintiff was harmed; she has been humiliated, suffered emotional pain and distress, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life and economic damages," the complaint read. CVUSD has not publicly responded to the lawsuit, and the district spokesperson has not immediately returned a request for comment. Carrera is requesting a jury trial and seeks compensatory damages to be determined at trial, along with exemplary damages against the defendants. Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: CVUSD teachers' union president sues district, alleges discrimination
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How much money is being raised by Coachella Valley Unified's school board candidates
Campaign contributions totaling more than $150,000 have poured into the Coachella Valley Unified School District trustee race as six candidates, including three incumbents, compete for three school seats in the special election on March 4. In California, local school board candidates can receive unlimited campaign contributions, even if an individual contribution exceeds $5,500 — the limit for state, county and city elections. However, they are still required to follow disclosure and reporting rules. Here's how much the CVUSD school board candidates reported raising in their latest filings as of Feb. 15, following up on The Desert Sun's initial reporting in November: Incumbent trustee Trinidad 'Trini' Arredondo has brought in $40,536, while his challenger Agustín Arreola has raised $25,181.86. Coachella Valley Teachers Association gave Arredondo another $10,000, bringing its total contributions to $19,000 — making the political action committee his largest donor. Dr. Raul Ruiz for Congress donated $3,300 to Arredondo's campaign, followed by $100 from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific. He also received $72 in unitemized donations under $100. Eduardo Garcia for Assembly 2024 gave Arreola an additional $1,500, raising the political action committee's total contributions to $8,500. Jesus Gonzalez of Thermal, a former legislative staffer for Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia and son of incumbent candidate Jesus Gonzalez, contributed $2,000 to Arreola's campaign. Arreola most recently received $2,000 on Feb. 14 from Ricky Contreras, director of sales and government relations at The KYA Group in Anaheim, which specializes in public works facility modernization and has previously upgraded facilities at CVUSD. Incumbent candidate Jesus Gonzalez raised $28,997.21, while Altrena Santillanes reported $18,300. Gonzalez, a licensed contractor with Coachella Builders, Inc., self-funded his campaign twice, contributing a total of $1,405. The 87-400 A56 Statutory Trust in Cheyenne, Wyo., donated $2,000 on Nov. 12 to Gonzalez's campaign. The trust previously held a closed session with the City of Coachella in September for a real property negotiation over a 9,730-square-foot domestic water easement. He also received $3,646.49 in nonmonetary contributions in the form of mailers from the Community Education PAC for a Better Imperial & Coachella Valley in October. His campaign also returned a $5,000 contribution on Nov. 1 from the Family Protection Alliance, citing Senate Bill 1439, which restricts local officials from voting on matters involving major donors, and "out of an abundance of caution." FPA is a Christian ministry supporting the social conservative movement. Though Santillanes' campaign contribution filings have not appeared on Riverside County's Public Portal for Campaign Finance Disclosure, she provided The Desert Sun with a copy of her filings through Nov 5. In an email, Santillanes said she filed her committee's contributions and donations with the FPPC and is unsure why they are not visible but would look into the issue. The Coachella Valley Teachers Association for Quality Education contributed $14,000 to her campaign, followed by $3,000 from Raul Ruiz for Congress and $1,000 from the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. Incumbent candidate Jocelyn Vargas raised $17,658.23, while her opponent Adrian Rodriguez has raised $21,399. Vargas received $1,500 from Eduardo Garcia for Assembly 2024, bringing its total contributions to $6,500. She also received $1,000 from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific and $135 in unitemized contributions of less than $100. Thee Coachella Valley Teachers Association contributed $5,000 on Dec. 10 to Rodriguez, bringing the political action committee's total contribution to his campaign to $14,000. He also received $3,299 from Dr. Raul Ruiz for Congress, as well as $500 in contributions each from Teresa Gutierrez of Mecca, Robert Rodriguez of Mecca and S-A-S Farms in La Quinta. Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Coachella Valley Unified election fundraising
