Ex-San Diego Unified Superintendent responds publicly to sexual misconduct claims

In a lengthy statement, San Diego Unified's former school superintendent is denying the claims that led to his eventual firing:

"I do want to state, in the clearest possible terms, that the information, including claims made available to the media, is hardly an accurate reflection of my interactions with these former employees. I am emphatic that the characterization of me is completely inaccurate. People who know me best know that I would never behave in the manner alleged in these complaints."

On Monday, NBC 7 Investigates revealed specific details that led to the investigation into his alleged conduct in April. The investigation upheld allegations of misconduct against Jackson based on the first-person claims of two former school district employees.

In those documents, former district administrator Tavga Bustani says she was home on sick leave when Jackson showed up outside her house unannounced. She said he asked her to give him a tour of her home, and when they got to her bedroom, Jackson started asking her sexual questions about her relations with her boyfriend. The claim says Jackson later demoted her and then showed up at her home unannounced a second time, and tried to push the door open when she only cracked it open.

Monika Hazel, a former area superintendent, claims Jackson called her his “work wife” and asked her to accompany him to a hotel room, his own home and even on a trip to Las Vegas, according to her claim against the district.

During what she described as his last overt sexual advance, Hazel said, Jackson promised to protect her from a “purge” of district administration workers. She said after she rejected his sexual overture, Jackson demoted her to a teacher, “a humiliating downgrade in position and pay.”

While the district says the allegations in the letter were unsubstantiated in 2023, the district now finds its claims credible. It attributes that to the findings of an investigation the district paid a private law firm to conduct this past April.

Within his statement, the former superintendent doesn't acknowledge his firing, instead suggesting that it was his decision to walk away"

"When I was hired, I informed the board that when the time came to hire a new superintendent, I would kindly and gracefully step away. I expressed this to the board because the work was never about me. It was true then and it remains true today. While I take considerable exception to the claims which have been made against me, it became clear that my continued service as a leader for the district would serve as an unnecessary and unwarranted distraction," Jackson said in his statement, in part. "As a result, I believed it would be in the best interests of our students, staff, families, and community for me to step aside."

His full statement is below:

Both Bustani and Hazel accuse the district of sexual harassment and discrimination, as well as negligent hiring and retention. Hazel is also suing the district for retaliation. Both claim their workplace became so intolerable that they were forced to quit their jobs. Hazel worked for SDUSD for 17 years. Bustani worked for the district for 27 years. Hazel is seeking $700,000. Bustani is seeking $2 million.

NBC 7 Investigates reached out to both women for comment. They share an attorney, who told us they both stand by their claims.

On Monday, the district shared this statement:

"The San Diego Unified School District took all claims and allegations seriously, and immediately engaged an independent third-party investigator with no ties to the district to conduct the investigation. This investigation began immediately upon the district becoming aware of the claims and allegations, in advance of formally receiving the complaints. The allegation of inappropriate conduct toward two former employees was found to be credible. All claims and allegations raised in the letters have been thoroughly investigated, addressed, and are now closed. San Diego Unified remains committed to transparency, the safety and well-being of all students and staff, and to upholding the values of our community."

Accusations made against Jackson in 2021 weren't investigated

In 2021, a letter written by a group of anonymous school principals was sent to the Administrators Association San Diego City Schools in July 2023, which immediately forwarded it to a high-level school district official.

The letter asked for an investigation into at least three promotions granted to women suspected of having sex with Jackson. It said there was a widespread perception within the district that he surrounded himself with women who slept with him on a quid pro quo basis. The letter also raised concerns about promoting a female employee despite her professional misconduct and about three abrupt departures rumored to be an effort to cover up Jackson’s misconduct. 

The group of principals behind the letter said they chose to remain anonymous due to a “culture of fear” within the district and concerns of retaliation. 

In a statement, the district said:

“Upon review by the district at the time, it was determined that the allegations were expressly based on rumors and speculation from third-party anonymous sources and so were not investigated further at the time. However, these same allegations arose during the course of the district’s most recent investigation, this time with specific facts, and were forwarded to the independent, third-party legal firm retained by the district for investigation.”  

But while the district knew about the letter in 2023, its board didn't know about it until this week.

“An assumption was made that the letter had been shared with the board. Only in 2024 after the independent, third-party investigation, which yielded the unsubstantiated result, was it discovered that the letter had not, in fact, been shared with the board in 2023.”