Centinela Valley Union High School District’s former superintendent is suing his ex-employer, alleging the district destroyed his career and reputation and used him as a scapegoat after media reports surfaced about his salary.
Jose Fernandez filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking unspecified damages. The allegations include breach of contract, retaliation and defamation.
Interim Superintendent Bob Cox did not immediately return a call for comment.
Fernandez received national attention when it was revealed that he received more than $660,000 in salary and benefits, plus a low-interest home loan and two life insurance policies valued at $1.75 million. He was fired last summer by the school board after an internal examination into his compensation.
“Plaintiff’s leadership at CVUHSD during his approximately six years as superintendent resulted in many significant accomplishments,” his court papers state.
The suit credits Fernandez with a turnaround of the district’s finances from being on the brink of insolvency to having surpluses; the passage of bond measures to fund the building of new facilities; the development of the Centinela Valley Center for the Arts; and a substantial improvement in student test scores and graduation rates.
CVUHSD attorneys reviewed Fernandez’s contract after the local media became focused upon it and found the terms to be valid, according to the suit. Fernandez, in good faith, offered to give up some of the benefits to which he was entitled in order to ease public concern, the suit says.
“Plaintiff offered to take less compensation and benefits to appease concerns in order to serve out his contract term,” according to the lawsuit.
Fernandez says he was put on paid administrative leave in April 2014 and then on unpaid leave a month later. The board fired him last Aug. 22, according to the complaint.
— City News Service