How California Permits Academics Reported for Sexual Harassment or Misconduct to Maintain Instructing — ProPublica

Jason Agan was unattainable to overlook at Angelo Rodriguez Excessive Faculty. The San Francisco Bay Space instructor was loud and gregarious, a fixture on campus because the Fairfield faculty opened in 2001. He ran the coed authorities and referred to as himself the person behind the scenes, organizing pep rallies and promenade. He taught AP calculus, so superior math college students ended up in his classroom, jostling for his approval and letters of advice. Some thought-about him a mentor who impressed a love of math — and even a second father.

However for years college students additionally whispered about Agan’s habits, based on interviews with 14 Rodriguez Excessive graduates, most of whom he had taught. He touched a few of them in public in ways in which made them uncomfortable, they stated, together with hugging college students and massaging their shoulders. And he appeared fixated on imposing the gown code, calling out ladies whose shorts have been too quick. 

Practically twenty years into Agan’s tenure, and on the heels of the #MeToo motion, college students had sufficient. At the very least 11 college students and one mum or dad submitted written complaints about his habits to high school directors in 2018, drawing at the very least two warnings to cease, a KQED and ProPublica investigation discovered. By January 2019, the Fairfield-Suisun Unified Faculty District had taken steps to fireside him, suspending him with out pay.

Agan pushed again, and almost a yr later an unbiased panel convened by the state to listen to his case deemed him “unfit to show.” The panel’s choice meant that the favored educator was formally out of the job the place he had spent his complete educating profession. 

However the panel’s assessment solely addressed his employment at this one faculty district, and its discovering was not shared publicly. It might be as much as the state’s instructor licensing company to find out whether or not extra self-discipline could be imposed, together with whether or not Agan might maintain educating in California public colleges. 

Over the following three years, Agan was employed at a second faculty after which a 3rd. Throughout that interval, the state issued a one-week suspension of his educating license for his habits at his first faculty. Then, Agan confronted one other accusation of undesirable touching — this time, by an eighth grader at his second faculty, based on faculty data. The state’s educating credentialing company didn’t inform the opposite colleges or the dad and mom of scholars in Agan’s courses of the complete extent of what went on at Rodriguez Excessive. 

Agan, now 47, didn’t reply to a number of requests for an interview, and somebody at his deal with hung up when a reporter rang his house buzzer and recognized herself. Nor did he reply to questions despatched by way of e mail or licensed mail to his dwelling about college students’ accusations and his job historical past. He beforehand denied any sexual motivation in touching college students, telling the unbiased panel that he was merely providing college students assist and encouragement — not massaging them, based on data obtained by the information retailers.

A broad take a look at California’s Fee on Instructor Credentialing by KQED and ProPublica reveals a sample of delays and inaction, mixed with an absence of transparency, which have allowed educators to proceed educating after faculty districts reported them to the state for sexual harassment or different misconduct of a sexual nature. Agan’s case is one among at the very least 67 during which the state has not revoked the skilled licenses of educators after faculty districts decided that they had sexually harassed college students or dedicated different forms of sexual misconduct, based on a assessment of obtainable data from 2019 by way of 2025 obtained by the information retailers. At the very least 14 of these educators have been rehired by different colleges, and of these, at the very least 12, together with Agan, nonetheless work in training, based on a assessment of college web sites and employment data offered by colleges. 

Anita Fitzhugh, a spokesperson for the Fee on Instructor Credentialing, stated the state routinely revokes academics’ credentials when they’re convicted of sexual prison offenses, however not essentially when a district determines they’ve dedicated sexual misconduct. She stated the state Legislature — not the licensing company — determines the kind of misconduct that leads to automated revocation. 

The company appoints a committee to evaluate noncriminal instances of misconduct, she stated. Agan has not been accused of a criminal offense. 

“The Fee’s authority balances defending college students in addition to the authorized rights of educators who’ve been accused however not convicted of particular crimes,” Fitzhugh stated in a written assertion. 

The company’s disciplinary course of is exclusive amongst licensing our bodies in California in how a lot is stored secret, Fitzhugh stated. The truth that a instructor has been disciplined is famous on a state web site of credentialed educators, however the database doesn’t clarify why.

In distinction, the licensing our bodies governing dozens of different professions in California, together with docs, nurses, cops and legal professionals, make the explanations that disciplinary actions have been imposed simply accessible on their web sites. And at the very least 12 states, together with Oregon, Washington and Florida, do the identical for academics.

“If our job as academics is to maintain youngsters secure, we have now to be held accountable for issues we do that might hurt them,” stated Alicia DeRollo, a longtime instructor who served as one among 19 commissioners on California’s instructor licensing company from 2011 to 2020.

Amid this hole in oversight, Agan discovered two new jobs and stays within the classroom.

Pupil Complaints Begin Piling Up 

For 17 years, Agan taught at Rodriguez Excessive, a sprawling open-air campus nestled alongside rolling hills the place cows graze. The varsity serves the racially numerous commuter city of Fairfield, midway between San Francisco and Sacramento.

Then in 2018, a number of sophomores in his accelerated math class reported him to high school directors. 

One lady alleged that he took her telephone out of her again pocket whereas she was sitting down taking a take a look at and that he would therapeutic massage ladies’ shoulders in school, based on faculty data. Assistant principal Gary Hiner cautioned Agan to watch out, sharing that college students had advised him they have been uncomfortable when the instructor walked round class and touched them, based on a abstract Hiner wrote concerning the spoken warning.

In March 2018, a father emailed one other administrator after Agan wore a shirt to high school that used the Pi image to spell out “Pimp.” The daddy wrote {that a} instructor shouldn’t be sporting a shirt making gentle of somebody who “sexually exploits individuals for revenue.”

This time, assistant principal Allison Klein emailed Agan, reminding him that college was not the place for “bodily touching college students, inappropriate innuendo, or jokes in poor style.” 

However the subsequent faculty yr, extra college students complained, data present. In October 2018, a pupil advised her faculty counselor after which Hiner that Agan had come up behind her and began massaging her neck beneath her lengthy hair. The scholar stated she felt violated and froze, not sure of what to do, data present. She talked to her friends about Agan to see if others had comparable experiences, and advised Hiner these classmates stated he additionally made inappropriate feedback and touched college students in his management class.

The scholar was so distraught she requested to switch out of the mathematics class and had a panic assault two days later within the faculty psychologist’s workplace, faculty data present. Neither Hiner nor Klein agreed to be interviewed.

Inside weeks, at the very least 9 extra college students submitted written complaints, alleging that Agan had massaged their shoulders and singled out feminine college students for what they wore.

“This was a case of somebody overstepping boundaries, and we’re not afraid to name this particular person out,” stated Julia Steed, who was a 15-year-old sophomore when she wrote to high school directors alleging that Agan “had tendencies to the touch college students,” together with palming her head throughout class. “We have been like, ‘Oh no, we’re not coping with this.’”

Steed, now 23, advised KQED and ProPublica that she and her classmates have been emboldened by the #MeToo motion to talk out as youngsters throughout the nation have been gaining extra consciousness of boundaries and consent. By the tip of 2018, the Fairfield-Suisun faculty board authorised the superintendent’s advice to fireside Agan.  

Agan objected and demanded a listening to, one thing tenured California public faculty academics dealing with termination are entitled to. His case could be evaluated by an unbiased panel, which might resolve whether or not to uphold the district’s advice. 

Faculty districts hardly ever fireplace tenured academics as a result of dropping a case is dear and the instructor can wind up again within the job. As a substitute, many districts negotiate settlements that enable academics to resign.

However in Agan’s case, Kris Corey, the Fairfield-Suisun superintendent on the time, stated she and the college board believed that they had a robust case for termination. 

“The board stated, ‘We don’t care how a lot this prices. We’re going to a listening to,’” Corey stated. “It’s the precept of the matter. This isn’t OK.” 

For eight days within the Fairfield-Suisun district workplace starting in July 2019, the three-member panel, together with a instructor chosen by Agan, heard testimony from college students, academics and directors. 

Seven college students, three directors, a former steerage counselor and a mum or dad spoke in opposition to Agan. Six of the scholars advised the panel that Agan made them uncomfortable by touching them or commenting on their clothes, together with calling one lady “quick shorts.” 4 of them, together with Steed, stated they didn’t really feel comfy going to Agan for further assist with math as a result of they didn’t need to be alone with him. A number of additionally stated they kept away from talking in school to keep away from attracting his consideration.

4 former college students, three academics and a employees member spoke on Agan’s behalf. The previous college students described Agan as a supportive mentor and caring instructor and stated they felt at dwelling in his classroom. All 4 college students stated he squeezed, rubbed or touched their shoulders, however that his actions didn’t make them uncomfortable. 

A kind of college students advised KQED and ProPublica that her opinion concerning the instructor’s habits has modified in recent times. She stated she had thought-about his bodily contact regular whereas in highschool. However her perspective shifted as she obtained older, she stated.

“I went to school and talked to individuals and realized it wasn’t regular,” stated the previous pupil, now in her 20s. “Trying again at it, I might have jumped to the opposite facet, to be fairly trustworthy.”

Through the listening to, Agan testified that he would have stopped touching college students’ shoulders if he had been clearly warned, based on a abstract included within the panel’s choice. He stated he turned comfy along with his management college students, and his actions carried over to math college students despite the fact that he wasn’t as shut with them. He denied massaging college students’ shoulders and stated college students misinterpreted “squeezes or shakes” as massages. He stated he didn’t intend to make college students really feel uncomfortable and regretted that some college students didn’t really feel secure in his class. 

One of many directors, former director of human sources Mike Minahen, advised the panel that the main points college students shared with him throughout his investigation “weighed heavy” on him. He stated it was uncommon for highschool college students to “break the code” and are available ahead to make a criticism a few instructor, “particularly a management instructor who has affect over pupil actions all through your complete faculty.” Minahen, who has retired, declined to remark.

In November 2019, the panel unanimously determined Agan ought to lose his job. Even the instructor chosen by Agan agreed. 

“The probability of recurrence is excessive,” the panel wrote in its choice. “Over time he has proven that he can not or is not going to train common sense.” 

One of many panelists advised KQED and ProPublica that she voted to terminate Agan’s employment partially as a result of his alleged habits continued even after directors issued warnings. 

“His actions have been making college students, notably younger girls, need to not take superior math courses. They didn’t need to be touched,” stated the panelist, who spoke on the situation of anonymity in order to not jeopardize her job in training. “All that immediately impacts their entry to good schools as a result of he was a calculus instructor.”

In December 2019, faculty district officers despatched documentation of Agan’s firing, together with particulars of their investigation, to the Fee on Instructor Credentialing, California’s educator licensing company, as state regulation requires for public faculty academics who resign or are fired for misconduct. The educator licensing company would resolve whether or not Agan could be disciplined additional, comparable to receiving a public warning, dealing with a suspension or dropping his license to show in a California public faculty.

The disciplinary course of sometimes takes one yr, based on the company. 

It might take the state licensing board almost 500 days to resolve what to do in Agan’s case. 

How Agan Returned to the Classroom 

Because the state thought-about the matter, Agan utilized for a job at a Sacramento center faculty about an hour away from Rodriguez Excessive in Might 2020. It was a time of heightened instructor shortages, particularly in topics like math, through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Agan offered stellar letters of advice from former educating colleagues in his software, which faculty representatives offered to KQED and ProPublica in response to a public data request.

Any faculty looking out Agan’s title on California’s credentialing database would have seen a clear file and legitimate credentials indicating he was legally match to show. That’s as a result of whereas the state licensing company knew Agan had been fired for what the district described as sexually harassing college students, California regulation prevented the company from disclosing details about the case. Nowhere within the on-line public data did it say that Agan remained beneath investigation by the company — not to mention any particulars of his employment file. 

In his software for the center faculty job, Agan acknowledged that he had been fired after being “accused of inappropriately touching college students on the shoulders throughout class.” He wrote that he disagreed with the dismissal and defined that he would typically place his arms on college students’ shoulders whereas serving to them. 

“Math is a tough topic for a lot of and my actions have been meant as a method of encouragement; a method to say, ‘It’s okay that you just’re having bother, maintain making an attempt,’” Agan wrote, including that he acknowledged his actions “made some college students really feel uncomfortable.”  

Agan began educating at Ephraim Williams School Prep Center Faculty that fall. The 175-person faculty is a part of the Fortune community of constitution colleges. Directors at Ephraim Williams on the time of Agan’s hiring didn’t reply to questions on how the college vetted him.

Former Fortune human sources guide Rick Rubino, who helped the center faculty recruit, interview and rent candidates on the time Agan was making use of, stated the college was not conscious that Agan’s former employer concluded that he had sexually harassed a number of college students. “Do you assume any affordable faculty district or principal would rent that particular person?” Rubino stated. “No. So clearly, Fortune Faculty didn’t get that info.”

Rubino stated he “would assure that someone at Fortune referred to as the principal on the faculty the place Jason Agan was educating in Fairfield and obtained report.” He stated he doesn’t keep in mind making that decision himself. 

The previous principal at Rodriguez Excessive didn’t reply to questions on a reference examine. However a Fortune Faculty spokesperson, Tiffany Moffatt, stated faculty officers observe “​all​ ​state​ ​tips​ ​and​ ​rules​ ​and​ ​conduct ​thorough​ ​vetting,​ ​making​ ​choices​ ​based mostly​ ​on​ ​the​ ​info​ ​out there​ ​to​ ​us.​”

It wasn’t till close to the tip of Agan’s first faculty yr at Ephraim Williams that the state licensing company issued its choice relating to his actions at his first faculty. In Might 2021, the state suspended Agan’s license for seven days; two of these days fell on a weekend. The sanction — together with a crimson flag icon — appeared within the state’s public database of credentialed educators. This is able to be the one seen clue colleges would have of something amiss in Agan’s work historical past. 

Corey, the previous superintendent of Fairfield-Suisun Unified, advised KQED and ProPublica that she was “flabbergasted” that he had solely been suspended for seven days. 

“It was an actual mismatch of what occurred,” Corey stated. “What a disservice it was to these ladies.” 

Steed, one among Agan’s accusers, stated college students had achieved the correct factor and shared their issues about Agan with their faculty, just for adults on the state stage to provide him the chance to show elsewhere. 

“What’s even the purpose of going by way of this complete course of?” she stated. 

A Center Faculty Pupil Particulars Undesirable Touching 

In September 2021, a month after Fortune college students returned to in-person studying, an eighth grader at Agan’s second faculty complained about his conduct. 

The scholar advised her physician throughout a routine bodily that Agan had touched her decrease again, based on a abstract of the criticism. 

The lady’s mom advised KQED and ProPublica that she reported the incident to the principal, who related mom and daughter with Rubino, Fortune’s human sources guide. The mom advised Rubino that Agan was giving her daughter a disproportionate quantity of consideration. 

The lady, who’s now 17, spoke to KQED and ProPublica on the situation that solely her center title, Sherelle, be used as a result of she is a minor. Leslie, the coed’s mom, can also be being recognized by her center title to guard her daughter’s identification.

In that very same assembly, Sherelle advised Rubino that Agan eliminated his hand from her decrease again after she requested him to cease, and he returned to the entrance of the classroom. However he got here again moments later and positioned his hand on her shoulder, based on a letter of warning Rubino wrote to Agan after interviewing the lady. 

“I felt disrespected. I felt uncomfortable. I felt mad,” Sherelle advised the information retailers concerning the incident. “I felt like even talking up didn’t matter.” 

In his letter, Rubino directed Agan to cease touching college students and “dial again” his reward for the lady. Rubino additionally cautioned that failure to conform might lead to additional disciplinary motion, as much as suspension or termination. 

Agan denied the allegations in a written response to Rubino obtained by KQED and ProPublica. “I wish to be on file that I dispute it being listed as a ‘truth’ that I touched [the student] on the decrease again,” Agan wrote. “I’ve been extraordinarily diligent in avoiding private contact with students on account of my earlier expertise.” 

Leslie had texted Rubino expressing concern about how Agan was vetted for the job after she stated she noticed on-line posts by college students at his former faculty alleging that he had touched them inappropriately.

“Truly, I used to be the one who investigated the matter within the Fairfield Suisun Faculty District when Mr. Agan was a candidate,” Rubino texted again that very same day in messages reviewed by KQED and ProPublica. “I additionally checked social media and Google to see if I might discover any details about the incident in Fairfield, however I didn’t discover something.” 

Rubino didn’t reply subsequent questions concerning the particulars of his investigation or how a lot he knew about Agan’s conduct on the instructor’s earlier faculty.

After the state licensing company recommends educators be disciplined, California regulation permits it to launch its findings, which embody a abstract of the case, to present supervisors and potential employers who request it inside 5 years. Fortune seems by no means to have requested for such findings, based on the logs of those requests between 2020 and 2024 offered by the company to KQED and ProPublica. A Fortune spokesperson didn’t say why the constitution faculty didn’t ask for the data.

Leslie stated her daughter’s expertise at Ephraim Williams solely worsened after she reported Agan. Math has at all times been Sherelle’s favourite topic. However as the college yr went on, her grades in Agan’s class plummeted. She wanted assist however stated Agan ignored her. 

With simply weeks left within the faculty yr, Leslie pulled her daughter out of Ephraim Williams to complete eighth grade at one other faculty. 

She solely discovered about Agan’s disciplinary historical past when KQED and ProPublica contacted her in January. “The entire training system would quite defend him,” Leslie stated. “You let him unfastened on all these youngsters.” 

Fitzhugh, spokesperson for the instructor licensing company, stated the fee is “dedicated to holding all college students and colleges secure” however is certain by the regulation in the way it disciplines academics. “The Fee stands able to implement any extra public protections that the Legislature authorizes,” she stated. 

Beginning the next yr, in 2022, data present that Fortune supplied Agan a job supporting new academics quite than assigning him his personal classroom. Fortune directors didn’t reply to questions on why he was supplied the place, which he declined as a result of he had obtained one other job supply within the Bay Space. 

“Thanks for the final two years,” Agan wrote, resigning from the college. “It has meant extra to me than you can ever know.” 

By August 2022, Agan would start educating at Clifford Faculty, which serves college students in pre-Ok by way of eighth grade in Redwood Metropolis. He obtained tenure in 2024.

Wendy Kelly, deputy superintendent on the Redwood Metropolis Faculty District, declined to reply questions on Agan’s hiring or say whether or not the college district was conscious he had been accused of misconduct at two earlier colleges. She advised KQED and ProPublica that the district, when hiring, sometimes calls candidates’ rapid supervisors and checks the database of licensed educators. 

She stated faculty districts depend on choices by the Fee on Instructor Credentialing to “put one of the best individuals within the classroom.”

“I used to be happy to see that the suspension was solely seven days,” Kelly stated of Agan’s self-discipline. “I’ve to belief that when the CTC reinstates the instructor that the difficulty has been both resolved, discovered from, there’s been penalties in place, which is why they’re employable to the following group.”

How We Reported This Story

KQED and ProPublica obtained detailed instructor disciplinary data from faculty districts after submitting public data requests with the 300 largest districts in California. We requested for data of sexual misconduct complaints from 2019 by way of 2025, together with any studies to the Fee on Instructor Credentialing. Greater than 150 districts offered data. If the district decided that an educator had dedicated misconduct that it characterised as sexual, together with sexual harassment by undesirable touching, sending sexual digital messages and making sexual remarks, we checked the state licensing database to see whether or not the state had revoked the instructor’s license or imposed different self-discipline.