TEMECULA — A formal appeal has been filed with the California Department of Education (CDE) over what is being described as a mishandled investigation by the Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD) into a sexual harassment complaint made by Trustee Jennifer Wiersma against fellow board member Steven Schwartz.
The appeal, submitted July 29 by Davison IP, a Southern California law firm, alleges that TVUSD failed to follow multiple steps required under California’s Uniform Complaint Procedure (UCP) after Wiersma filed a formal complaint on Jan. 27, 2025.
According to the eight-page appeal, TVUSD did not initiate an investigation until after Wiersma publicly disclosed the complaint at a February board meeting. The district is accused of approving the investigation during an improper closed session, completing it more than 60 days late, and failing to provide Wiersma with a copy of the findings until June 26. The district also allegedly failed to notify her of her right to appeal the outcome to the CDE, as required by law.
The 54-page investigation report concluded that Wiersma’s complaint may have been filed in bad faith, citing speculation by trustees with known conflicts. The report also ignored contradictory statements from both Trustee Schwartz and Board President Melinda Anderson, according to the appeal.
In a further development, a sworn declaration from a member of the public claims that Anderson made false statements to the district’s investigator. TVUSD has not publicly addressed the allegation.
Despite the concerns raised about the integrity of the investigation, Anderson called a special board meeting on July 21 to propose censures and legal actions against Wiersma, which the appeal describes as retaliatory.
The CDE will now review the alleged procedural and substantive errors outlined in the appeal. Additional evidence, including the sworn declaration and other documents, may be submitted as the review progresses.
Davison IP represents elected officials, parents, and community members in public education and governance matters across California.
Superintendent Dr. Gary Wood and Board President Dr. Melinda Anderson did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
Julie Reeder can be reached at jreeder@reedermedia.com.
