REDWOOD CITY - The San Mateo Union High School District faces a plethora of accusations, including deprivation of freedom of speech, in a March 10 lawsuit filed in the San Mateo County Superior Court.
The charges come from plaintiff Patricia Petersen, a lifelong Mills High School teacher who alleges that the defendant wrongfully disciplined her in retaliation to her concerns about workplace safety.
Petersen has been an educator at Mills for more than 20 years, during which time she has only received positive remarks on her performance, the lawsuit says.
After being assaulted by a student in September 2017, Petersen says that Mills administration tried to brush off the assault and pressured Petersen to not file a report on the incident, insinuating that it was normal for that student to lash out when "riled up."
The defendant's human resources department allegedly further antagonized Petersen for her report, implying that she would lose her job if she pressed the matter.
Violence and danger from the student body to teachers, as well as alleged negligence on the district's behalf, continued as more assaults occurred on the plaintiff and graffiti that made threats against teachers was simply covered up rather than reported to the police.
Petersen also refused to defraud student grades of students who were not attending school or not turning in homework to make Mills and its administration look better.
The district is accused of whistleblower retaliation in violation of Labor Code, retaliation for refusal to participate in unlawful activity, retaliation for reporting improper activities in violation of Education Code, retaliation for complaints about workplace safety, retaliation for complaints about pupil assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress and deprivation of freedom of speech.
The plaintiff is represented by Bush Gottlieb and Cedar Law PLLC.