April 24, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Former LAUSD Principal Suing Her Employer

A former La Canada Unified School District principal is suing her employer, alleging she was discriminated against because of her gender when she was demoted to a teacher and later put on indefinite leave, all because the superintendent was unhappy that the plaintiff announced she was pregnant shortly after taking the job.

Christine Castillo’s Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit alleges sex discrimination and both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. She seeks unspecified damages in the complaint filed Wednesday.

A LCUSD representative did not immediately reply to an email sent for comment.

According to the lawsuit, Castillo moved from Seattle in July 2012 to take the job as principal of La Canada Elementary School. A month later, she met with Superintendent Wendy Sinnette and told her she was pregnant, the suit states.

Sinnette reacted negatively and told Castillo, “This is really going to upset your staff and parents;” “I made it clear what this job required;” and “I need a drink,” the suit alleges.

Sinnette later told Castillo that the Board of Education was “disappointed” that the plaintiff  “waited” to tell the superintendent that the plaintiff was expecting, according to the lawsuit.

Unable to get a clear answer from human resources about the maternity leave time she would be allowed, Castillo did her own research and found that as a new employee she was only entitled to 10 sick days and that she had missed the deadline for disability leave, the suit states.

Castillo began having pregnancy complications in November 2012 and presented notes from her doctor requesting that she be allowed to leave work early, the suit states. After some reluctance, the district eventually allowed her to depart early for two weeks, but the tardiness of the LCUSD response only allowed her to leave early for just one week before her child was born, the suit states. Castillo also was required to work up to 12-hour days to do extra tasks assigned before she gave birth, the suit states.

Castillo stayed on the job all the way until the day before her daughter was born on Dec. 19, 2012, the suit states. A month into her maternity leave, human resources sent Castillo an email stating that her being out of work was costly to the district, the suit states.

Two months after Castillo returned from maternity leave in April 2012, Sinnette gave her a negative evaluation that did not take into account her pregnancy, the suit states. Sinnette also gave to two other elementary school principals a chance to earn extra money on a project, but did not offer the same opportunity to Castillo, the suit states.

Sinnette also required Castillo to attend school-related conferences in San Diego, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania that were difficult for the plaintiff to travel to as a mother of a newborn, the suit states.

During a meeting in March 2014, Sinnette told Castillo, “I don’t believe you have operated at your fullest potential” and “It was great that you had a baby, but that impacted how things started for you,” the suit states.

A year later, Sinnette met with Castillo and told her the Board of Education was considering not keeping her on as principal because of “negative staff relationships,” the suit states.

Castillo filed an internal complaint a month later alleging she was discriminated and retaliated against because of her gender, her pregnancy and for taking leave, the suit states.

After being told by Sinnette to “clean out her office and turn in her keys,” Castillo left on June 2015 to take another leave based on her doctor’s recommendation, the suit states. That same evening, Sinnette sent an email to Castillo’s staff that a new principal was appointed to La Canada Elementary, the suit states. Later that month, Castillo received a letter from the district stating that she had been reassigned to duties as a first-grade teacher, the suit states.

In November 2015, a final internal investigative report into Castillo’s complaints showed the district did not have an updated leave policy, that Castillo was not given a proper explanation of her maternity leave options and that a LCUSD employee improperly released confidential information about the plaintiff to a third party, the suit states.

That same month, the district told Castillo she would no longer be entitled to the teaching position she was offered and she was instead placed on indefinite leave, the suit states.

 

465988507

Related Posts

The Brian Jonestown Massacre Drops New Double A-Side Ahead of U.S. Tour

April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

Legendary Psych-Rockers Set April 25 Release and Fall North American Tour The Brian Jonestown Massacre is set to release a...

(Video) Matú Kai Brentwood: The full experience

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Sister restaurant to Matú in Beverly Hills, located at 11777 San Vicente Blvd. Sister restaurant to Matú in Beverly Hills,...

Uncle Stevey’s Bagels Wins Westside Hearts with Next-Level Bagels, Premium Sandwiches, and Local Coffee

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Family-Run Shop Serves Delicious and Thoughtfully Curated Bagels With Love By Dolores Quintana A little more than a year since...

Santa Monica’s Socalo Toasts Pali Wine Co. with a Five-Course Culinary Celebration

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Enjoy Celebrated Central Coast Wines, Including a 100-Point Red Blend Socalo, the acclaimed Mexican restaurant from celebrity chefs Mary Sue...

Go Go Bird Teams Up with Chef Chris Oh for Korean-Inspired Fried Chicken Sandwich

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Crispy, Saucy, Spicy: Chris Oh’s Fried Chicken Sandwich Lands in Culver City Go Go Bird, located in Culver City’s Citizen...

Fogo de Chão Hosts Wine Lover’s Dream Night with Chilean Winery VIK

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Diners Will Enjoy a Chef-Curated South American Menu, Highly Rated Wines Wine lovers and culinary connoisseurs are invited to gather...

Skip Traffic, Relax, Catch a Vibe: Midweek Sunset Party Lands on the Westside

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

DJ Jason Bentley, Mocktails, Games, Food Trucks, Light Up Fox Hills Commuters looking to escape rush hour gridlock on Thursday,...

Representative Brad Sherman in Person at CSUN Town Hall This Weekend

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Constituents of California’s 32nd District Invited to an In-Person Q&A Session U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman will hold an in-person town...

(Video) A Myriad of Ways to Unlock Your Beauty Offered at Mirror Mirror Med Spa

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

For More Info, Go To Mirrormedspa.com For More Info, Go To https://t.co/1DP3ZKbfDt pic.twitter.com/OVvHuTjETC — CCNewsLA (@CCWNNews) April 23, 2025

New York Film Academy in Los Angeles Offers Summer Camps, Programs

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

New York Film Academy in Los Angeles is hosting several summer camps for teenagers and kids, providing practical training in...

Cinespia Returns to Hollywood Forever With Cult Classics and a David Lynch Tribute

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Becomes a Moviegoer’s Paradise Once Again Cinespia, Los Angeles’ beloved outdoor cinema series, will return to Hollywood...

Major I-405 Rehab Project Unveiled: Caltrans to Host Virtual Info Meeting

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Sepulveda Pass Overhaul: New Pavement, Safer Roads, Better Commutes The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will hold a virtual informational...

San Fernando Valley Man Gets 5 Years for Beverly Hills Bank Fraud and Identity Theft

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Federal Prison for ID Thief Who Raided Beverly Hills Mailboxes for Millions A North Hills man was sentenced Monday to...

Academy Announces Major Changes for 98th Oscars, Including AI Rules and New Casting Award

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Academy Now Requires Viewing All Nominees to Cast Final Ballots The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled...

Pepper Spray and Panic: LA Homeowners Targeted in Nighttime Burglaries

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

LAPD Hunts Suspects After One Resident Attacked in Beverly Grove Two separate home invasions late Friday night in Beverly Grove...