Moving Targets: How Sacramento Unified School District Fails to Protect Teachers & Administrators of Color
Since speaking up against her sexual harassment and racial attacks, Dr. Elysse Versher expounds on how she is not the only victim but one of many cases.
by Kelby McIntosh, Freelance Writer
Since 2020, racism has been at an all-time high, becoming a hotbed for many discussions on understanding our place in society as people of color. While finding our position has always been a fight since the days of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, modern-day racial injustice has been seeping its way into our workplaces, personal lives, and educational institutions.
We, as black people, might have experienced racism in one of those categories and more; Dr. Elysse Versher experienced racism in all three simultaneously with detrimental results.
However, different news outlets like the Sacramento Observer, Sacramento Bee, CBS News Sacramento have already covered the ex-vice principal of West Campus’s story of sexual harassment and blatant racial attacks. What I thought would be an interview highlighting the in-depth feelings of Dr. Versher’s experience turned into a spotlight that highlighted many examples of administrators and teachers of color that have been victims of these radical attacks or have seen persecution for speaking up against the injustice by the SCUSD.
Through my investigative research, I’ve retrieved numerous discrimination case documents filed by various administrators and teaching staff of the SCUSD. Still, I will highlight two special cases for active news coverage purposes. Also included in this article will be the interview conducted with Dr. Versher to serve as the context for you to understand the severe nature of what she and possibly other teachers and administrators of color have experienced.
THE HUB: Do you feel how SCUSD and West Campus handled your multiple reported racism incidents – further validated you as a victim of hate crimes?
Dr. VERSHER: From the first few weeks of my employment in 2019 until my resignation in June 2022, I followed the proper protocol to report racial and sexual harassment incidents. Each time I was degraded, harassed, and threatened, I immediately informed my supervisor, Principal John McMeekin, who, in return, dismissed my complaints without reporting to HR or investigating the complaints. Principal John McMeekin was very dismissive of my claims and was adamant that the racism I experienced should be kept “in-house.” This violated my rights and further reinforced that the school and district were not interested in a meaningful investigation or keeping me safe at work.
DR. VERSHER: Principal McMeekin’s lack of concern for my safety (despite being physically threatened, targeted, and racially and sexually harassed), left me no choice but to report several incidents to HR. Unfortunately, each time I reported incidents to HR, there were zero follow-ups and zero follow-throughs. I quickly learned that the anti-black racism and sexist culture at West Campus and SCUSD were by design. The lack of acknowledgment, action, and amends from Principal McMeekin, Supt. Aguilar, Human Resources, and the SCUSD Board of Trustees only empowered students, parents, and staff to continue targeting my family and me, which resulted in a decline in my physical and mental health.
THE HUB: What were the school boards and district leaders; responses to your situation?
DR. VERSHER: SCUSD Board of Trustees were eerily silent, except for Black Board Trustee members Rhodes and Phillips. November 2021, Trustee Rhodes called me after media reports exemplified the N-word written five times in proximity to my parking spot. I recall him stating that racism has been a problem for a long time at West Campus, and he hated that I was experiencing “this.” In June 2022, Trustee Phillips posted on her Facebook, “I stand with Dr. Versher because racism is alive in this country and district.” In contrast, Board Trustee Villa, assigned to West Campus, never reached out to the Black Student Union or me to see the impact. She did, however, post to social media that racism is not tolerated in the district.
DR. VERSHER: District leaders were silent. I was left out of many meetings and ultimately pushed out of my position. District leaders have been intentional, however, making “press releases” to harm further my reputation, which has cost me a principalship position and interview opportunities with districts in the region. Speaking out against a massive institution like SCUSD is like David and Goliath. SCUSD has all the resources and power to blackball and blacklist other victims of racial and sexual harassment in the district and me. SCUSD has all the power and resources to retaliate against other victims of racial harassment in the district and me. SCUSD has all the power and resources to silence other victims of racial and sexual harassment in the district and me.
DR. VERSHER: However, I persist. I believe in my heart that I must continue fighting for myself, other employees, and, most importantly, my students. Never in a million years would I think that speaking up against the racial and sexual harassment I endured while employed at SCUSD would cost me my career. However, I know that I’ll never be able to be an administrator in this region again. I’ve applied to over 15 positions, and each time I interviewed, I was asked about my case against SCUSD. I am asked about the trauma I endured, even though this line of questioning is highly illegal and unethical.
At this point during the interview, I couldn’t help but think – if the SCUSD has the power to bury administrators and teachers for speaking up against these prominent racial issues. Who else has been affected? In my research into the SCUSD, two specific cases come to mind: Olga Arellano-Simms and Kimberly Mackey; so why do these cases stand out?
Kimberly Mackey was the target of retaliation for speaking up against sexual harassment. She was left out of crucial meetings, was delegated administrative tasks that conflicted with her job, was put on probation, and ultimately terminated. While Dr. Olga Arellano-Simms is Spanish speaking and of Latin descent and was the Assistant Superintendent for SCUSD for six years.
After speaking up against her supervisor Christine Baeta, for her discriminatory comments and treatment of non-white administrators, Dr. Arellano-Simms was demoted and transferred to the Multilingual Literacy Department.
While the common thread of all three women’s cases is that they were investigated by the same two third-party investigators hired by SCUSD, the same investigators failed to speak to two key witness students in Dr. Vershers case. The same investigators couldn’t find proof of racially motivated retaliation against Dr. Arellano-Simms. The same two couldn’t find evidence of discriminatory retaliation against Kimberly Mackey. I did reach out to both investigators, and both chose not to give responses.
THE HUB: You experienced a consistent bombardment of racist attacks, which resulted in developing PTSD and even contemplating suicide. Do you feel finding justice will bring peace to what has happened to you?
DR. VERSHER: Before my employment at SCUSD and the subsequent racist and sexist attacks I endured, I never experienced mental and physical health challenges. However, after spending three years at West Campus, I became fragmented-literally a shell of who I used to be. Going into a workplace where I was degraded, my expertise and skillset questioned, and verbally and physically threatened daily for three years-it took a toll on my family and me.
My husband financially and physically having to pick up the pieces as my overall mental and physical health declined took a toll. My 4-year-old son kept asking me, “why was I in bed all the time” and “why are you so sad, mommy?” My daughter wrote me a letter to tell me I am loved, and she had a physiological response to all of this that we are addressing now medically.
Experiencing constant racial and sexual harassment made me feel worthless and weak. I did not have the strength to keep pushing forward. So to go through all of this and think about justice. What is justice in this regard? SCUSD’s lack of action to keep me safe at work almost cost me my life! It has cost me peace.
It has cost me meaningful time with my family. What is justice? I am grieving the loss of my career. I spent almost a decade in higher education, earning my BA, teaching credential, master’s, doctorate, and administrative services credential, but I cannot reach another position in K-12 schools where I live! It has cost me the opportunity to provide financially for my family. My entire retirement and savings are wiped out so I can put food on the table for my kids. I can’t tell you what justice looks like. I’ve paid an enormous price just trying to do the job I love, free from racist and sexist attacks.
THE HUB: Undermining black teachers and administrators has been regarded as a “common culture” in the SCUSD. What can black teachers and administrators do to protect themselves from sexual harassment and hate crimes?
DR. VERSHER: Black teachers and administrators are targeted by other teachers, administrators, students, parents, and staff for no other reason but to chip away at our dignity and humanity. Black teachers and administrators are constantly told by irate parents that we are affirmative action hires. Students tell us that “you cannot discipline us” and “do you know who my parents are?” “You are beneath me.” We are reminded by the SCUSD administration that we are an “anti-racist institution” and then silenced by the same SCUSD administrators when we report racial and sexual harassment incidents. We are frequently threatened by school community members but told, “it’s part of the job.” We are called N-words and then treated like N-words. Our voice. Our labor. Our lives have no meaning to the SCUSD administration.
DR. VERSHER: Although I agree that undermining Black teachers and administrators is a “common culture” in SCUSD, I know, from experience, that it’s deeper than being undermined. When I first dared to speak up publicly about the overt racial and sexual harassment I endured, I received countless emails from Black employees and students in SCUSD who shared similar experiences. It was clear that SCUSD followed a pattern of not addressing incidents of racism and sexual harassment reported by Black employees. It’s now a running joke that Black employees refer to as the SCUSD playbook:
- Ignore the problem of anti-Black racism in schools.
- If made public, copy and paste the same anti-racist values statement.
- Hire white independent investigators to dismiss claims of racism and sexual harassment.
- Release a general statement to the public that suggests SCUSD did everything correctly and the employee was somehow at fault.
- Rinse and repeat.
DR. VERSHER: It’s excruciating realizing that SCUSD is only interested in protecting its brand- its institution and not protecting its Black employees and students. With this in mind, I urge Black employees in SCUSD to speak, even if your voice shakes. Report all incidents to HR, even if they do not investigate. Take care of yourself and your family because SCUSD will allow stakeholders to beat you down, strip you of your humanity, gaslight you, silence you, and then replace you.
THE HUB: For black teachers and administrators currently experiencing hate crimes or sexual harassment. Is there any advice you can give them?
DR. VERSHER: Do not suffer in silence. You have an obligation to yourself and to your family to speak up. We teach our students all the time, “see something, say something.” We must practice what we teach. Demand accountability from the top down. Supt. Aguilar and the SCUSD Board of Trustees cosigned and then perpetuated the racist and sexist culture that permeates SCUSD. Protect your mental and physical health.
THE HUB reached out to John McMeekin for a statement in which Mr. McMeekin stated, “West Campus is an inclusive community and we will not condone racism of any form. We strongly condemn the actions of the individual(s) who has (have) caused great harm to members of our school community.”
What happened to Dr. Versher was the catalyst for opening the floodgates to various SCUSD misconduct against teachers, students, and administrators of color. While Dr. Versher isn’t the first case of racially fueled retaliation by SCUSD, the level of backlash for wanting to be the best Assistant Principal at West Campus was overshadowed by their hatred for her as a black woman. While you and many Sacramento locals might think that the racially motivated plights of the SCUSD started with Dr. Versher, understand she is among the numerous cases of sexual harassment and racial discrimination like Dr. Arellano-Simms and Kimberly Mackey.
While these three women battle for their love of education and wanting to help our future generations – what does it say about the school system that challenged each one of them at every step? Not because they were incapable but because they were a person of color. What does that say about SCUSD?
For the next year (Sept 2022-August 2023) we will publish news stories in THE HUB Magazine, on Sacculturalhub.com as well as release videos on all Sac Cultural Hub social media platforms with a series of articles focusing on recognizing hate crimes among communities of color throughout California with thought-provoking interviews. If you are of African descent (Black / African American) living in California, and you have survived a hate crime or incident, or you are a family member of someone who lost their life to a hate crime, and would like to share your story or testimony with THE HUB, e-mail contact@sacculturalhub.com or call 916-234-3589. With your help, THE HUB can attempt to be apart of solutions that heal the community while forging ahead to stop the hate. Thank you!
The Stop The Hate campaign is made possible with funding from the California State Library (CSL) in partnership with the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs (CAPIAA). The views expressed on this website and other materials produced by Sac Cultural Hub Media Foundation do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the CSL, CAPIAA or the California government. Learn more about the Stop The Hate campaign at: https://capiaa.ca.gov/stop-the-hate/
