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Tag: Sacramento City Unified School District

  • More than 400 Sacramento City Unified preschool, classified positions could be laid off

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    The Sacramento City Unified School District’s board of education approved motions involving workforce cuts that could impact 423 positions.The two resolutions impacting preschool and classified positions come as SCUSD grapples with a $113 million deficit. The school district’s financial crisis has led to expressed frustration from families and employees as talks of having the state take over the district have been ongoing. However, school district officials earlier this month seemed optimistic that SCUSD would not hit insolvency this school year.A December report originally showed SCUD’s deficit was at $51.6 million, but that number swelled to $113 million. But the school district said it found ways to save about $44 million, previously stating that the approach includes laying off 68 administrative positions, reducing non-school department budgets, freezing non-custodial supply purchases and other measures.SCUSD’s board of education met on Thursday to approve two resolutions: one to lay off classified employees and the other to lay off preschool employees. Agenda item documents list the reasons for both actions as “a lack of work and/or lack of funds.” The documents for both categories of employees state that they will receive their layoff notices, which are effective at the end of the current school year. A district spokesperson previously told KCRA 3 that a “history of poor budgeting practices” and inaccurate representations of the district’s finances are factors in why the school district is in its dire situation. | RELATED READ | Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Lisa Allen resigns amid financial crisisOf the 423 positions receiving a layoff warning, 121 are vacant. There are a separate 45 positions up for consideration. However, the number of positions actually laid off may differ when decisions are finalized in May.Another update on the district’s financial plan is set for Feb. 18.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    The Sacramento City Unified School District’s board of education approved motions involving workforce cuts that could impact 423 positions.

    The two resolutions impacting preschool and classified positions come as SCUSD grapples with a $113 million deficit.

    The school district’s financial crisis has led to expressed frustration from families and employees as talks of having the state take over the district have been ongoing. However, school district officials earlier this month seemed optimistic that SCUSD would not hit insolvency this school year.

    A December report originally showed SCUD’s deficit was at $51.6 million, but that number swelled to $113 million.

    But the school district said it found ways to save about $44 million, previously stating that the approach includes laying off 68 administrative positions, reducing non-school department budgets, freezing non-custodial supply purchases and other measures.

    SCUSD’s board of education met on Thursday to approve two resolutions: one to lay off classified employees and the other to lay off preschool employees. Agenda item documents list the reasons for both actions as “a lack of work and/or lack of funds.”

    The documents for both categories of employees state that they will receive their layoff notices, which are effective at the end of the current school year.

    A district spokesperson previously told KCRA 3 that a “history of poor budgeting practices” and inaccurate representations of the district’s finances are factors in why the school district is in its dire situation.

    | RELATED READ | Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Lisa Allen resigns amid financial crisis

    Of the 423 positions receiving a layoff warning, 121 are vacant. There are a separate 45 positions up for consideration. However, the number of positions actually laid off may differ when decisions are finalized in May.

    Another update on the district’s financial plan is set for Feb. 18.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Sacramento City Unified leaders seek solutions to close budget deficit, avoid state takeover

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    Sacramento City Unified School District leaders are pushing to find solutions to close a budget deficit in the tens of millions of dollars and, in turn, avoid a state takeover of the district due to its current financial crisis.“If we run out of cash and we can’t pay our bills, we then have to get a loan from the state and that is officially state receivership,” said Sacramento City Board of Education President Tara Jeane on Tuesday.District and county leaders stressed Tuesday that all efforts right now are focused on circumventing that option. A state receivership situation would include an appointed trustee being brought in to run the district and serve as the board.In a letter sent to district families Monday afternoon, Jeane said there had been “a problematic lack of clarity on the scope of our deficit” and that action to correct the deficit had stalled in recent months.“I want to be direct: our district is facing a fiscal crisis that demands immediate, disciplined, and transparent action,” she wrote, citing systemically poor budgeting, increased spending, an overreliance on contracts and incomplete data as reasons that have contributed to the crisis in recent years. According to a December report, the district is facing a $51.6 million deficit. An updated figure is expected to be shared at the Board of Education meeting scheduled for Thursday, when the district’s Interim Chief Business and Operations Officer, Lisa Grant-Dawson, will present the board with an update to its Fiscal Solvency Plan.“We have asked for specificity,” Jeane said. “We need to make new decisions.”Any decision about layoffs needs to be made by March 15, Jeane said. More clarity about whether that route would be exercised as an avenue for cost saving would be clearer, she said, next week.“This board is committed to having hard conversations and making those decisions right now, based on what we hear from our students and from our community, as best we can, so that local decision making is still guiding what we do,” Jeane said.The Sacramento County Office of Education is assisting the Sacramento City Unified School District with its attempt to avoid what’s called “fiscal insolvency” by providing financial experts to help guide solutions.”They’re facing, potentially, a shortfall big enough to cause them to go bankrupt. And if they go bankrupt, if they go insolvent, they’re required to get a state loan, which comes with interest,” said Dave Gordon, Superintendent of the Sacramento County Office of Education. “We are trying to give all the help we can to make sure they don’t have to become insolvent.”Gordon said, however, if the district is found to be insolvent, education will continue for district students. “I think more information will be forthcoming as we run the numbers and get more confident of how much needs to be cut and whether it’s there to be cut,” he said. A spokesperson for Sacramento City Unified shared a statement with KCRA 3 on Tuesday afternoon:“There is frustration and disappointment within our system right now – from both the Board of Education and staff – at the pace of progress toward reaching our fiscal solvency goals.District staff feel confident that this Thursday’s update to the Board will demonstrate significant progress toward closing our budget deficit.Sacramento City Unified remains committed to avoiding state receivership and maintaining local control of the school district, while minimally impacting our ability to serve students.”The Board of Education meets on Thursday evening.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    Sacramento City Unified School District leaders are pushing to find solutions to close a budget deficit in the tens of millions of dollars and, in turn, avoid a state takeover of the district due to its current financial crisis.

    “If we run out of cash and we can’t pay our bills, we then have to get a loan from the state and that is officially state receivership,” said Sacramento City Board of Education President Tara Jeane on Tuesday.

    District and county leaders stressed Tuesday that all efforts right now are focused on circumventing that option. A state receivership situation would include an appointed trustee being brought in to run the district and serve as the board.

    In a letter sent to district families Monday afternoon, Jeane said there had been “a problematic lack of clarity on the scope of our deficit” and that action to correct the deficit had stalled in recent months.

    “I want to be direct: our district is facing a fiscal crisis that demands immediate, disciplined, and transparent action,” she wrote, citing systemically poor budgeting, increased spending, an overreliance on contracts and incomplete data as reasons that have contributed to the crisis in recent years.

    According to a December report, the district is facing a $51.6 million deficit. An updated figure is expected to be shared at the Board of Education meeting scheduled for Thursday, when the district’s Interim Chief Business and Operations Officer, Lisa Grant-Dawson, will present the board with an update to its Fiscal Solvency Plan.

    “We have asked for specificity,” Jeane said. “We need to make new decisions.”

    Any decision about layoffs needs to be made by March 15, Jeane said. More clarity about whether that route would be exercised as an avenue for cost saving would be clearer, she said, next week.

    “This board is committed to having hard conversations and making those decisions right now, based on what we hear from our students and from our community, as best we can, so that local decision making is still guiding what we do,” Jeane said.

    The Sacramento County Office of Education is assisting the Sacramento City Unified School District with its attempt to avoid what’s called “fiscal insolvency” by providing financial experts to help guide solutions.

    “They’re facing, potentially, a shortfall big enough to cause them to go bankrupt. And if they go bankrupt, if they go insolvent, they’re required to get a state loan, which comes with interest,” said Dave Gordon, Superintendent of the Sacramento County Office of Education. “We are trying to give all the help we can to make sure they don’t have to become insolvent.”

    Gordon said, however, if the district is found to be insolvent, education will continue for district students.

    “I think more information will be forthcoming as we run the numbers and get more confident of how much needs to be cut and whether it’s there to be cut,” he said.

    A spokesperson for Sacramento City Unified shared a statement with KCRA 3 on Tuesday afternoon:

    “There is frustration and disappointment within our system right now – from both the Board of Education and staff – at the pace of progress toward reaching our fiscal solvency goals.

    District staff feel confident that this Thursday’s update to the Board will demonstrate significant progress toward closing our budget deficit.

    Sacramento City Unified remains committed to avoiding state receivership and maintaining local control of the school district, while minimally impacting our ability to serve students.”

    The Board of Education meets on Thursday evening.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Records show unsanctioned carpet removal in Phoebe Hearst classroom cost $22k

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    New documents from the Sacramento City Unified School District detail the decision-making behind reassigning a sixth-grade teacher, Jeanine Rupert, to a different school after she and her students attempted to remove a carpet from her classroom at Phoebe Hearst Elementary.Her removal from the school has sparked protests from both parents and students. Parents even served the school board president a recall notice. Records obtained by KCRA 3 Investigates show Rupert had requested the carpet’s removal twice since 2015, once in June 2023 and again in February 2024, but it was only cleaned each time. “Room 7 is asking again that their carpet be removed. It is heavily stained and frayed at some parts. Teacher would prefer her room to be all tile. Thank you,” the February request reads. SCUSD District spokesperson Brian Heap said each time a work order was placed for a flooring replacement, district staff assessed the carpet and determined it was not time for replacement.In June 2025, Rupert and students, whom she said volunteered to help, pulled up parts of the carpet, leading to her placement on administrative leave on July 11. The district accused her of “intentionally destroying district property and posing a safety risk to student and staff.”In a notice sent to Rupert, the district said repairing and replacing the flooring in the classroom cost more than $22,000. The bulk of those charges was $12,600 for asbestos removal.The notice also said that at least three students helped remove the carpet, and while it was found they weren’t exposed to asbestos, they did use hammers and crowbars. “These students, as well as you, could have been seriously injured or become ill when removing the carpet, causing the district to be liable for any injuries or illnesses. A student was reported ill after the removal of the carpet,” Stacey Shorey, SCUSD HR Director, said in a notice sent to Rupert. The notice ends with a notification that she’ll be transferring schools.Rupert responded in a letter, acknowledging her mistake but expressing that she believed the carpet was a health hazard, describing it as “stained, foul-smelling, frayed, and infested with fleas in spring 2025.”The district clarified that the flea issue was resolved before the carpet was removed. Rupert also repeatedly referenced other colleagues who had also removed carpets from their classrooms in her letter. She also said she offered to pay for a contractor to finish removing the carpet, but the offer was declined. “With respect, I simply feel that the punishment does not fit my actions and I would again implore the District to reconsider my transfer,” she wrote. Rupert emphasized that transferring her against her wishes has been very difficult for her and said she believed it would negatively impact the students at the school. Rupert’s attorney did not return a call for comment on Wednesday afternoon. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. —

    New documents from the Sacramento City Unified School District detail the decision-making behind reassigning a sixth-grade teacher, Jeanine Rupert, to a different school after she and her students attempted to remove a carpet from her classroom at Phoebe Hearst Elementary.

    Her removal from the school has sparked protests from both parents and students. Parents even served the school board president a recall notice.

    Records obtained by KCRA 3 Investigates show Rupert had requested the carpet’s removal twice since 2015, once in June 2023 and again in February 2024, but it was only cleaned each time.

    “Room 7 is asking again that their carpet be removed. It is heavily stained and frayed at some parts. Teacher would prefer her room to be all tile. Thank you,” the February request reads.

    SCUSD District spokesperson Brian Heap said each time a work order was placed for a flooring replacement, district staff assessed the carpet and determined it was not time for replacement.

    In June 2025, Rupert and students, whom she said volunteered to help, pulled up parts of the carpet, leading to her placement on administrative leave on July 11.

    The district accused her of “intentionally destroying district property and posing a safety risk to student and staff.”

    In a notice sent to Rupert, the district said repairing and replacing the flooring in the classroom cost more than $22,000. The bulk of those charges was $12,600 for asbestos removal.

    The notice also said that at least three students helped remove the carpet, and while it was found they weren’t exposed to asbestos, they did use hammers and crowbars.

    “These students, as well as you, could have been seriously injured or become ill when removing the carpet, causing the district to be liable for any injuries or illnesses. A student was reported ill after the removal of the carpet,” Stacey Shorey, SCUSD HR Director, said in a notice sent to Rupert.

    The notice ends with a notification that she’ll be transferring schools.

    Rupert responded in a letter, acknowledging her mistake but expressing that she believed the carpet was a health hazard, describing it as “stained, foul-smelling, frayed, and infested with fleas in spring 2025.”

    The district clarified that the flea issue was resolved before the carpet was removed.

    Rupert also repeatedly referenced other colleagues who had also removed carpets from their classrooms in her letter. She also said she offered to pay for a contractor to finish removing the carpet, but the offer was declined.

    “With respect, I simply feel that the punishment does not fit my actions and I would again implore the District to reconsider my transfer,” she wrote.

    Rupert emphasized that transferring her against her wishes has been very difficult for her and said she believed it would negatively impact the students at the school.

    Rupert’s attorney did not return a call for comment on Wednesday afternoon.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Sac City Unified school board president facing recall amid controversy of removed teachers

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    A Sacramento City Unified School District board meeting on Thursday was marked by tension and heated moments of public comment. At one point, a parent served the board president with a notice of intent to recall him. The tension comes after weeks of controversy and pushback after two teachers were removed from their classrooms at Phoebe Hearst Elementary School. “While this may have started as a personnel matter, that ship sailed weeks ago. Plain and simple, this is a school in crisis, in an absolute leadership failure. President Singh, you are not only board president, you are our representative, and in that capacity, you have failed us,” said Caitlin Beckett, a parent, addressing School Board President Jasjit Singh. “Tonight, we are here to remind you— you work for us.”Another adult then moved forward and placed a notice of intent to recall on the board’s meeting table.”We the parents of Phoebe Hearst, and across the district, are beginning the process of terminating your employment,” the parent said. “We are serving you here tonight with a notice of intent to recall you from office. If you won’t do your job, we will remove you and elect someone .”KCRA 3 spoke with Singh after he was given the notice.“In this situation, it’s justifiable that folks are mad because there’s two teachers: one teacher that has been removed to a different school site, and we have another one who has administrative leave pending an investigation. And I just cannot speak about those investigative matters. And it puts me in a difficult spot for our community,” he said.The controversy began in early September, when the school district moved sixth-grade teacher Jeanine Rupert to another school in the district after she had students help her remove a carpet that could have exposed asbestos in tiles underneath. Rupert had been asking the school district to remove the carpet for several years, an issue brought up by another parent at Thursday’s meeting. “My daughter, when she was a sixth grader two years ago, tripped on that rug. Still there? Then we had the flea infestation, so when they treated it, it got even funkier. So why was her request to have it removed not met?” the parent asked. Testing later found that the carpet’s removal did not cause exposure to asbestos.Rupert’s removal sparked outcry from parents and students, including walkouts and rallies.Tensions were raised even further this month, when another sixth-grade teacher, Mark Henrikson, was placed on administrative leave. The district did not provide any information to KCRA 3 about Henrikson’s removal, calling it a “personnel matter.”However, parents believe the move was retaliation after Henrikson rallied for Rupert’s reinstatement.“Part of the issue is that we have, I won’t say half-truths, but limited information that the community gets. And the district is unable to put out further information on a personnel matter because of the legalities,” Singh said.Singh said he has called for an independent investigation into Henrikson’s case. He also said he plans to meet with the community in the coming weeks to discuss the situation with the families of the 66 students directly affected.Meanwhile, parents are preparing to collect signatures for the recall once the paperwork is certified.Earlier this week, more than a third of students were absent from Phoebe Hearst, as some of them rallied, along with parents, in support of the two removed teachers and protested the denial of a requested meeting between parents and the superintendent, Lisa Allen. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    A Sacramento City Unified School District board meeting on Thursday was marked by tension and heated moments of public comment. At one point, a parent served the board president with a notice of intent to recall him.

    The tension comes after weeks of controversy and pushback after two teachers were removed from their classrooms at Phoebe Hearst Elementary School.

    “While this may have started as a personnel matter, that ship sailed weeks ago. Plain and simple, this is a school in crisis, in an absolute leadership failure. President Singh, you are not only board president, you are our representative, and in that capacity, you have failed us,” said Caitlin Beckett, a parent, addressing School Board President Jasjit Singh. “Tonight, we are here to remind you— you work for us.”

    Another adult then moved forward and placed a notice of intent to recall on the board’s meeting table.

    “We the parents of Phoebe Hearst, and across the district, are beginning the process of terminating your employment,” the parent said. “We are serving you here tonight with a notice of intent to recall you from office. If you won’t do your job, we will remove you and elect someone [who will].”

    KCRA 3 spoke with Singh after he was given the notice.

    “In this situation, it’s justifiable that folks are mad because there’s two teachers: one teacher that has been removed to a different school site, and we have another one who has administrative leave pending an investigation. And I just cannot speak about those investigative matters. And it puts me in a difficult spot for our community,” he said.

    The controversy began in early September, when the school district moved sixth-grade teacher Jeanine Rupert to another school in the district after she had students help her remove a carpet that could have exposed asbestos in tiles underneath. Rupert had been asking the school district to remove the carpet for several years, an issue brought up by another parent at Thursday’s meeting.

    “My daughter, when she was a sixth grader two years ago, tripped on that rug. Still there? Then we had the flea infestation, so when they treated it, it got even funkier. So why was her request to have it removed not met?” the parent asked.

    Testing later found that the carpet’s removal did not cause exposure to asbestos.

    Rupert’s removal sparked outcry from parents and students, including walkouts and rallies.

    Tensions were raised even further this month, when another sixth-grade teacher, Mark Henrikson, was placed on administrative leave. The district did not provide any information to KCRA 3 about Henrikson’s removal, calling it a “personnel matter.”

    However, parents believe the move was retaliation after Henrikson rallied for Rupert’s reinstatement.

    “Part of the issue is that we have, I won’t say half-truths, but limited information that the community gets. And the district is unable to put out further information on a personnel matter because of the legalities,” Singh said.

    Singh said he has called for an independent investigation into Henrikson’s case. He also said he plans to meet with the community in the coming weeks to discuss the situation with the families of the 66 students directly affected.

    Meanwhile, parents are preparing to collect signatures for the recall once the paperwork is certified.

    Earlier this week, more than a third of students were absent from Phoebe Hearst, as some of them rallied, along with parents, in support of the two removed teachers and protested the denial of a requested meeting between parents and the superintendent, Lisa Allen.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Sacramento City Unified School District faces unexpected $43 million deficit

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    The Sacramento City Unified School District is facing a $43 million budget deficit, leading to a spending freeze starting Oct. 1.Administrators said the freeze is necessary to cover payroll and maintain operations. The district received the grim news about the massive budget shortfall at its Thursday meeting from the chief business and operations officer, Janea Marking. She showed a photo of a city about to be consumed by a large tsunami wave. “SCUSD, no one in particular, it’s in our DNA, has a bad, bad habit of uncontrolled, unbudgeted, unexpected expenses,” she said.The district is scrambling to find ways to come up with $43 million after unexpected budget items, including late payroll payments, unexpected invoices, and unauthorized contract payments. Managers say there were $62 million in unauthorized contracts last year, most for special education programs. “A contract that has not been authorized by the school district, but they provided a service ahead of time because they needed to provide services to students immediately,” Assistant Superintendent Cindy Tao explained.The spending freeze will affect non-classroom hiring, new contracts, travel, and non-emergency overtime, but not teachers’ contracts. “Stretched thin already, and we’ve just accomplished a lot of additional supports for our students that have been long needed and long deserved by our students,” said the president of the Sacramento City Teachers Association, Nikki Davis Melevsky.The SCTA wants the district to be accountable for why and how this happened.”They need to look into who signed these contracts, who authorized them, and why did they not go through the appropriate procedures so that the Budget Office would have been aware that they were out there and that they were needing to be paid?” asked Davis Melevsky.District spokesperson Alexander Goldberg discussed the spending freeze in a statement: “Those measures alone will not fix our problems. There will be many other budgetary sacrifices to make in the coming months to get the district back on a path to solvency before the end of the fiscal year. In reaching that goal, it is our every intention to avoid major disruption to student opportunities, programs, and the day-to-day educational experience.”School Board President Jasjit Singh said in an email, “The board is committed to ensuring our district is financially sound while maintaining the services crucial to student success. School district budgets are in a constant state of fluctuation. We are confident in our staff’s efforts to help cut costs and implement saving ideas.”The board is expected to get an update in December on where they stand financially after a couple of months of a spending freeze.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    The Sacramento City Unified School District is facing a $43 million budget deficit, leading to a spending freeze starting Oct. 1.

    Administrators said the freeze is necessary to cover payroll and maintain operations.

    The district received the grim news about the massive budget shortfall at its Thursday meeting from the chief business and operations officer, Janea Marking. She showed a photo of a city about to be consumed by a large tsunami wave.

    “SCUSD, no one in particular, it’s in our DNA, has a bad, bad habit of uncontrolled, unbudgeted, unexpected expenses,” she said.

    The district is scrambling to find ways to come up with $43 million after unexpected budget items, including late payroll payments, unexpected invoices, and unauthorized contract payments. Managers say there were $62 million in unauthorized contracts last year, most for special education programs.

    “A contract that has not been authorized by the school district, but they provided a service ahead of time because they needed to provide services to students immediately,” Assistant Superintendent Cindy Tao explained.

    The spending freeze will affect non-classroom hiring, new contracts, travel, and non-emergency overtime, but not teachers’ contracts.

    “Stretched thin already, and we’ve just accomplished a lot of additional supports for our students that have been long needed and long deserved by our students,” said the president of the Sacramento City Teachers Association, Nikki Davis Melevsky.

    The SCTA wants the district to be accountable for why and how this happened.

    “They need to look into who signed these contracts, who authorized them, and why did they not go through the appropriate procedures so that the Budget Office would have been aware that they were out there and that they were needing to be paid?” asked Davis Melevsky.

    District spokesperson Alexander Goldberg discussed the spending freeze in a statement: “Those measures alone will not fix our problems. There will be many other budgetary sacrifices to make in the coming months to get the district back on a path to solvency before the end of the fiscal year. In reaching that goal, it is our every intention to avoid major disruption to student opportunities, programs, and the day-to-day educational experience.”

    School Board President Jasjit Singh said in an email, “The board is committed to ensuring our district is financially sound while maintaining the services crucial to student success. School district budgets are in a constant state of fluctuation. We are confident in our staff’s efforts to help cut costs and implement saving ideas.”

    The board is expected to get an update in December on where they stand financially after a couple of months of a spending freeze.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Sacramento parents, students protest replacement of teacher over carpet removal

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    Nearly 100 parents and students gathered at Thursday’s Sacramento City Unified School District board meeting to protest the removal of Jeanine Rupert, a sixth-grade teacher at Phoebe A. Hearst Elementary School.The removal comes after an incident at the end of last school year, when Rupert and her students removed old carpeting from her classroom, which may have contained asbestos. “She was removed from the classroom without due process, without cause. And secretly!” James Frazee, a parent at the meeting, said. “This was done on a Friday before a three-day weekend, and told she can’t show up. And this is allegedly over pulling up carpet.”Parents and students spoke in support of Rupert, describing her as an incredible teacher and role model.”I think it’s a horrible loss for our school to lose her,” one student said.”Mrs. Rupert has been the leader. She’s been an absolute joy to the school,” a parent added. “She’s been somebody who’s constantly helping our students, not just in the classroom, but outside the classroom.”Another student expressed deep admiration for their teacher.”I personally think that Mrs. Rupert was just one of the most magical teachers, maybe in the history of the world,” they said.The district claims Rupert was removed after the carpet was taken out, but stated: “The District’s fact-gathering and investigation into the matter were just completed earlier this week. The determination was made that none of the asbestos tiles underneath the classroom carpet had been damaged when students were present. The removal of the carpet did not cause a disturbance that would cause exposure to asbestos.Nonetheless, now that the investigation is complete, District staff will begin the process of reaching out to individual families to reassure them of their student’s safety and provide any necessary support.”Rupert’s father attended the meeting, sharing that his daughter has been devastated by her removal. “She tried to get it replaced for five years, and she decided to take it on her own. She’s torn up. She’s given her life to Phoebe Hearst,” said Tim O’Brien, Rupert’s father.Many families are confused by the district’s handling of the situation. “It blows the mind to think that somebody would be removed for something like that. She has a track record of excellence in the classroom,” one parent said.”I can’t believe that she’s getting fired for one carpet. That doesn’t make any sense to me,” a student added.Community members organized quickly after the district changed Thursday night’s meeting time. Organizers were expected to give public comment at 6 p.m.”It was around 4 o’clock when it was supposed to be at 5,” one attendee said.”It was a complete lack of transparency because it was unclear when we were supposed to be able to come and speak,” another person at the meeting added.The district stated that Rupert was not fired and remains employed, but parents reported receiving an email from Principal Brooke Fahey indicating she has been replaced by another teacher set to start on Sept. 8. The district says, “Mrs. Rupert will be teaching at a different school this year.” KCRA posed multiple follow-up questions to the district regarding the situation, including where Rupert will be teaching, and has yet to hear back. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    Nearly 100 parents and students gathered at Thursday’s Sacramento City Unified School District board meeting to protest the removal of Jeanine Rupert, a sixth-grade teacher at Phoebe A. Hearst Elementary School.

    The removal comes after an incident at the end of last school year, when Rupert and her students removed old carpeting from her classroom, which may have contained asbestos.

    “She was removed from the classroom without due process, without cause. And secretly!” James Frazee, a parent at the meeting, said. “This was done on a Friday before a three-day weekend, and told she can’t show up. And this is allegedly over pulling up carpet.”

    Parents and students spoke in support of Rupert, describing her as an incredible teacher and role model.

    “I think it’s a horrible loss for our school to lose her,” one student said.

    “Mrs. Rupert has been the leader. She’s been an absolute joy to the school,” a parent added. “She’s been somebody who’s constantly helping our students, not just in the classroom, but outside the classroom.”

    Another student expressed deep admiration for their teacher.

    “I personally think that Mrs. Rupert was just one of the most magical teachers, maybe in the history of the world,” they said.

    The district claims Rupert was removed after the carpet was taken out, but stated:

    “The District’s fact-gathering and investigation into the matter were just completed earlier this week. The determination was made that none of the asbestos tiles underneath the classroom carpet had been damaged when students were present. The removal of the carpet did not cause a disturbance that would cause exposure to asbestos.

    Nonetheless, now that the investigation is complete, District staff will begin the process of reaching out to individual families to reassure them of their student’s safety and provide any necessary support.”

    Rupert’s father attended the meeting, sharing that his daughter has been devastated by her removal.

    “She tried to get it replaced for five years, and she decided to take it on her own. She’s torn up. She’s given her life to Phoebe Hearst,” said Tim O’Brien, Rupert’s father.

    Many families are confused by the district’s handling of the situation.

    “It blows the mind to think that somebody would be removed for something like that. She has a track record of excellence in the classroom,” one parent said.

    “I can’t believe that she’s getting fired for one carpet. That doesn’t make any sense to me,” a student added.

    Community members organized quickly after the district changed Thursday night’s meeting time. Organizers were expected to give public comment at 6 p.m.

    “It was around 4 o’clock when it was supposed to be at 5,” one attendee said.

    “It was a complete lack of transparency because it was unclear when we were supposed to be able to come and speak,” another person at the meeting added.

    The district stated that Rupert was not fired and remains employed, but parents reported receiving an email from Principal Brooke Fahey indicating she has been replaced by another teacher set to start on Sept. 8.

    The district says, “Mrs. Rupert will be teaching at a different school this year.”

    KCRA posed multiple follow-up questions to the district regarding the situation, including where Rupert will be teaching, and has yet to hear back.

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