Former Special-Ed Teacher Sues School District

A special-education teacher who lost her job at San Marcos High School in June is suing the Santa Barbara Unified School District, claiming she was let go after pointing out violations in the district’s attention to disabled students. According to court documents, certain children were sometimes without the required 1:1 care of an aide, while others were inappropriately restrained. “I was advocating for my students and was retaliated against,” said Emily Murray, who was an at-will employee still in her two-year probationary period. Helen Rodriguez, the district’s assistant superintendent for special education, was not available for comment.