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SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Nine former teacher-librarians have filed suit against Grossmont Union High School District (“GUHSD”) in San Diego Superior Court, Case No. 26CU019526C, alleging that the District’s decision to eliminate their positions was motivated by retaliation for protected activity, discrimination, and advocacy for inclusive educational resources and compliance with California law.
According to the complaint, the affected librarians were among the District’s most experienced educators and had repeatedly engaged in protected activity, including advocating for compliance with California education laws, supporting students, and speaking publicly on issues affecting school libraries and educational resources.
While the District says the March 2025 elimination of the teacher-librarians was driven by budgetary concerns, the lawsuit explains how the budgetary concerns were pretextual and the decision was motivated by the District leadership’s hostility toward the librarians who raised concerns regarding leadership’s campaign to purge the District of LGBTQ-allyship programs and personnel.
“The complete elimination of every teacher-librarian position in the District was unprecedented,” said attorney Aaron Olsen of Haeggquist & Eck, LLP. “The complaint alleges the librarians not only embodied the very values that California’s anti-discrimination laws mandate, but they actively opposed the District’s discriminatory actions. Because of this, the complaint outlines how the librarians became targets of a coordinated campaign of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and ideological persecution organized by the anti-LGBTQ board members, that culminated in the elimination of all nine librarians.”
The elimination of the librarian positions, as alleged in the complaint, has had significant consequences not only for the affected educators, but also for students who previously relied on credentialed teacher-librarians for research instruction, literacy support, and access to educational resources. The Plaintiffs seek damages, injunctive relief, and other remedies available under state law.
The lawsuit follows prior litigation against GUHSD involving similar allegations of discrimination and retaliation. In 2025, the District agreed to resolve litigation brought by former Special Education Director Rose Tagnesi in which the District agreed to pay $1.2 million dollars.
The case is pending in San Diego County Superior Court.
About Haeggquist & Eck, LLP
Haeggquist & Eck, LLP is a San Diego-based law firm dedicated to representing employees, whistleblowers, civil rights plaintiffs, and survivors of sexual assault.
