By Robert Haugh
Disgraced Former Santa Clara City Councilmember Dominic Caserta got $1.6 million plus some other major perks in a settlement from the Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD).
Caserta was a Santa Clara High School teacher. He sued the school district for accidentally releasing his personnel file after numerous former female students accused him of sexual misconduct and harassment in 2018.
Caserta ran unsuccessfully for Supervisor in the June 5, 2018, Primary Election.
He withdrew from the race after being accused by multiple female high school students and campaign staffers. That year, he landed on the “Creep Sheet,” a publication detailing public figures accused of sexual harassment or assault.
School Board Trustee Chair Vickie Fairchild reported the vote as 4-1 at an October 15 meeting. But she did not say who was the no vote.
Fairchild also reported that in addition to the $1.6 million payment, Caserta will also get his healthcare paid by the district until he’s 65. Caserta is currently 49 years old.
And in a controversial decision, SCUSD will provide a “neutral reference” for Caserta. That means Caserta could apply for another job involving young females and SCUSD will not be able to disclose Caserta’s history.
When contacted about his vote, Trustee Albert Gonzalez declined to disclose it.
“This was a closed-session issue,” Gonzalez emailed Santa Clara News Online. “I was told that all we could say was that the issue was resolved.”
But according to the California Government Code, if the issue is resolved, Gonzalez, Fairchild, or the District should publicly disclose the vote.
Here is the Government Code Section:
According to an attorney familiar with the Government Code, Gonzalez and other board members may publicly disclose their votes.
In addition to Gonzalez and Fairchild, other Trustees who voted on the Caserta settlement were Michele Ryan, Bonnie Lieberman, and Jodi Muirhead.
Trustees Jim Canova and Andy Ratermann did not attend the meeting.
Gonzalez is currently running for Santa Clara City Council, District One to replace termed-out Councilmember Kathy Watanabe.
Watanabe has endorsed Satish “Sunny” Chandra.
[…] would not disclose his vote when contacted by Santa Clara News Online for an October 18, 2024 story. In that story, SCNO cited the Government Code that requires the District to disclose its […]
Vote Satish City Council
Vote Kelly City Council
Vote Teressa City Council
Vote David City Council
Vote Morgan Chief of Police
Vote O’Keefe City Clerk
We can remove the other 49er Council Member’s when their term are up.
Only way we get our City back is through the elections. 49ers know that and they have good reasons to feel like this window of “Pro 49er Council” is now coming to a close.
We just have at least 30 more years of this potential abuse of our Great City.
We are worth fighting for.
Burt Field
Cure and Correct letter just sent.
District must review and respond in 30 days
While the San Jose Spotlight typically bends over backwards in support of the 49ers, their latest article lists the incredible amount of money the 49ers have spent in this election for their candidates and they even more incredible amount of money they have spent in negative ads against brave Santa Clara citizens who have decided to run for office. The 49ers organization is morally bankrupt. Do not vote for any of their supported candidates. The more money the 49ers put into negative campaigning against average Santa Clara citizens has a chilling effect for future elections and the average person that does not want to put themselves in the bull’s eyes of the 49ers negative ads. Whatever loopholes the 49ers use to finance their disgusting political agenda need to be fixed.
https://sanjosespotlight.com/49ers-spend-millions-in-santa-clara-council-races/
Who is Albert Gonzalez? I have children in SCUSD. Looks like he is my trustee. 16 years as trustee? How? No one knows who he is. am supporting Satish. Then I get a nasty letter from Albert the Ghost who no one knows. I read this in Mercury News which doesn’t make Albert seem like a good candidate. He takes money from 49ers? He does nothing to get elected. Sad candidate.
Mercury News article said Gonzalez seems to be running a minimal campaign, raising little money on his own and lacking a functional website as of this writing. He’s apparently banking on support from labor groups and independent spending by the 49ers to get him across the goal line.
So we reward pedos. Got it. This is what my tax dollars are paying for? Some loser to mooch his healthcare for another ~20 years????
Brown Act violation. Cure and correct note in the works.
I’m wondering why he can’t disclose his vote? Did he get threatened or that he is just a wuss