Placer school board member loses his teaching credential for immoral conduct. What we know
Jeremy Jeffreys, a Placer Union High School District board member who was fired by the district he would be elected to govern, had his teaching credential suspended earlier this month for immoral conduct. He is also no longer employed by the private school he has taught at since 2023.
According to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Jeffreys’ teaching credential was revoked Jan. 19 for “immoral conduct or persistent defiance of or refusal to obey laws regulating duties.” There is no end date listed for the suspension.
The reasons for credential suspension mirror the contents of a decision made against Jeffreys by the Office of Administrative Hearings.
The board member was previously set to be fired from Placer Union High School District in 2022 for immoral and unprofessional conduct, dishonesty, evident unfitness for service and persistent violation of or refusal to obey school laws or regulations of the state or district, according to records from the Office of Administrative Hearings. Allegations against him included inappropriate physical contact with a student, an unwillingness to adhere to special education laws and subjective grading practices.
He appealed the decision to the Office of Administrative Hearings, whose commissioners on professional competence voted 2-1 to uphold the district’s decision to fire him in October 2023. Jeffreys said previously that he resigned before the board moved to officially dismiss him.
After leaving Placer Union, Jeffreys started in November 2023 as a full-time teacher at United Auburn Indian Community school, a private PK-8 tribal school in Placer County. The UAIC human resources department said that Jan. 17 was the last day Jeffreys was employed, but did not share the circumstances surrounding the end of his employment.
He has not returned a request for comment regarding the suspension of his teacher credential or his employment status.
Jeffreys as a board member
The former teacher has been the subject of recent controversy for misleading the public about his intentions during the election process. He announced his withdrawal from campaigning in October but stayed silent as an anonymous group campaigned on his behalf, appealing to conservative voters.
Despite telling his sole opponent months before that he wouldn’t take the oath of office should he be elected, Jeffreys was sworn in as trustee. Several members of the public voiced their concern, with one resident seeking to intervene before the ceremony.
Jeffreys took office during a time of particular turmoil for the district, just after longtime employee Jeffrey Tooker was dismissed as superintendent and after longtime trustee Ron Oates resigned, citing frustration with the political influence that outside political groups had on the board.
The new board is making moves to dismantle competency-based education in the district, an emerging method of academic instruction that eschews the typical A-F grading structure, which has been polarizing among the staff and families at the district.
Board President Jessica Spaid did not return a request for comment regarding Jeffreys’ credential loss.
This story was originally published February 3, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
