Campbell v. L.A. Unified School Dist.

Filed 5/1/24; Certified for Publication 5/22/24 CA2/8

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION EIGHT

JOHN SANDY CAMPBELL, B321756

Plaintiff and Appellant, Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. 18STCV04662 v.

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT,

Defendant and Respondent.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, James C. Chalfant, Judge. Affirmed. John Sandy Campbell, in pro. per., for Plaintiff and Appellant. Cristina Cruz and Kelly Kim for Defendant and Respondent. ____________________ In a dense, 32-page decision, the Commission on Professional Competence upheld John Sandy Campbell’s dismissal from employment with the Los Angeles Unified School

District. Campbell challenged this decision by filing a petition for writ of mandate in the superior court. In a dense, 31-page ruling, the court, exercising its independent judgment, denied Campbell’s petition and upheld her dismissal. We affirm because Campbell has not demonstrated error. Statutory references are to the Education Code. Campbell worked as a Resource Specialist Teacher at Chavez Social Justice Humanitas Academy from 2015 to 2017. Her role involved developing Individualized Education Programs for students with special needs. The District maintained it appropriately dismissed Campbell because, among other things, she was excessively absent from school, which negatively affected students and staff. The Commission agreed. The proceedings to adjudicate Campbell’s dismissal were extensive, with the administrative hearing spanning 11 days. Campbell’s appellate brief does not present these proceedings or the evidence in any detail. At times she provides citations to the administrative record. Mostly, she does not provide record citations, or she cites the Commission’s findings, her briefing to the superior court, or the court’s decision instead of citing the evidence. Campbell similarly omitted record citations at the superior court. Campbell’s appellate brief says there are two issues on appeal. She contends the superior court erred in affirming her dismissal because (1) the Commission miscited and applied the wrong statutory subdivisions at Campbell’s dismissal hearing, and (2) the court failed to apply “new” precedent (San Dieguito Union High School District v. Commission on Professional