SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The Grossmont Union High School District has agreed to pay $1.2 million to a former employee who filed a lawsuit last year alleging she was harassed for opposing the board's "anti-LGBTQ agenda."
Rose Tagnesi worked for the district for over 28 years and claims her boss told her to keep a "low profile" because if board members found out she was gay, they wouldn't approve a promotion for her.
In 2024, Team 10 reported the former special education director alleged in court documents that a board trustee referred to Tagnesi and another school employee as "witches" who were part of an "LGBTQ coven."
WATCH: See Austin Grabish's investigative piece from last year below
Tagnesi's attorney confirmed the $1.2 million settlement.
Tagnesi told Team 10 Wednesday the settlement is important not only for her, but also to the broader LGBT community.
“In the future, I'm hopeful the district will take decisive action toward creating the culture of inclusivity its students and teachers deserve,” she said in a statement.
Collin McGlashen, a spokesperson for the Grossmont Union High School District, provided the following statement to ABC 10News:
“The purpose of a settlement like this is to allow all parties to move forward in the most productive way possible. The agreement clearly states that it does not represent an admission of wrongdoing by the District or a validation of the claims made in the lawsuit.”
