Leaders of the San Diego public schools plan to appeal a state judge’s order that they reinstate 11 principals removed from their jobs in a shake-up of administrators.
Alan D. Bersin, a former U.S. attorney, ordered the personnel actions in 1999, shortly after he took over as superintendent of the 140,000-student system.
According to court filings, district police officers escorted the principals to a meeting where they learned they were being reassigned to jobs as teachers or counselors, or to other nonmanagement positions.
Counter to the claims of district leaders, the plaintiffs argued that the reassignments amounted to demotions, and that they were carried out in violation of district procedures.
San Diego County Superior Court Judge William C. Pate agreed in a tentative ruling on Nov. 5, when he said the plaintiffs should be given their old jobs back and paid for lost salaries.
The San Diego school board voted 4-1 last week to appeal the ruling.
