Removed Phoebe Hearst teacher gave hammers to students, caused $22k in damages
The Sacramento teacher whose transfer has inspired a monthlong parent-led movement to reinstate her caused her classroom more than $22,000 in damages, according to documents obtained by The Sacramento Bee.
The disciplinary letter given to longtime Phoebe Hearst Elementary School teacher Jeanine Rupert says that she admitted to giving at least three students hammers and a crowbar to help her tear up the carpet on the last day of school in June, and that one child was reported ill after the removal of the carpet.
Photos taken immediately after the carpet removal show that the classroom was left in unusable condition, with a portion of the carpet remaining attached to the floor.
Rupert did not have permission nor did she notify the principal of her intent to remove the carpet, according to the letter. The teacher did repeatedly request that the carpet be removed via several work orders, which were denied after Sacramento City Unified School District supervisors inspected the carpet and said it was in good condition except for “stains on the carpet, possibly waste from the animal(s) kept in the classroom.”
The district, in their letter, accused Rupert of violating multiple California Standards for the Teaching Profession by involving students in the willful destruction of district property, demonstrating a lack of concern for creating a safe environment for students and colleagues and failing to demonstrate integrity in her professional behavior.
Human Resources Director Stacey Shorey also wrote that Rupert’s actions could constitute a felony offense under the California penal code defining vandalism.
“Your actions demonstrate a disregard for taxpayer funds, policies and procedures, and the safety and well being of the students, staff and anyone who entered the classroom,” Shorey wrote in her notice to Rupert.
The notice of unprofessional conduct dated Aug. 29 summarizes a meeting between Rupert, the teachers union vice president and Shorey discussing the carpet incident. In this meeting, Rupert admitted to pulling up the carpet with the help of students during the school day and that she did it knowing she did not have permission from the district to do so.
“When asked who you expected to clean up the classroom and repair the damage you caused, you said you thought you would save the district some time and money; facilities would take care of it,” Shorey wrote. “You also shared that you thought this action would ‘move’ you up on the list to be replaced by the time the next school year begins.”
The final cost to repair and replace the flooring in the classroom was $22,185.72, which did not factor in work time lost when district staff had to leave other projects to attend to the damaged classroom.
Shorey summarized Rupert’s infractions as follows:
“You showed a lack of ethical, professional, and moral judgement and integrity through your actions in which you
- purposefully and intentionally ignored district process after not receiving a response you favored
- failed to communicate your actions putting others at risk of harm
- assumed others would clean up your mess demonstrating a lack of respect for the work others perform
- involved students in a potentially harmful activity
- involved yourself in a potentially harmful activity
- required the district to re-allocate resources, time, and personnel meant for other projects
- destroyed district property at an expense of $22,185.72
- worked outside your job classification subsequently taking a position away from other labor units
- violated the inherent trust placed in teachers by using your access and privilege to destroy district property while still under contract hours meant for instructional or preparatory purposes”
Rupert was notified Sept. 5 that she would be released from administrative leave with pay and transferred to teach fifth grade at Isador Cohen Elementary beginning the following Monday.
In a Sept. 11 response to the notice of unprofessional conduct, Rupert said that the carpet was laid down in her classroom over existing tile about 15 years ago and quickly became stained, frayed and beginning in spring 2025, “riddled with fleas.” She wrote that she believed it was a health hazard for her students and claims that she never received any confirmation that her work order requests had been assessed.
She also denies disturbing the tile, saying that there was no possibility of asbestos exposure, as a district investigation later confirmed.
District spokesperson Brian Heap said that the school reported site-wide a flea issue in May 2024, found to be caused by a dead animal in the garden area. Though the fleas were difficult to treat, Heap says that the flea issue was eliminated before the end of the school year and before the carpet was removed.
Despite Rupert’s insistence that she had repeatedly requested for the carpet to be taken care of, records show that Rupert submitted two work orders over the course of two years. After the first request, district staff cleaned the carpet and determined that it did not need to be replaced. In response to the second request, the district hired a professional cleaning service which treated all school site carpets.
“As you might imagine, we have limited budget for our maintenance projects, so with 73 schools and dozens of classrooms at each site, we don’t just replace carpet because a teacher asks,” Heap said to The Bee.
Rupert wrote that she “deeply regretted” the choice to remove the carpet and to allow students to assist her.
Rupert is actively fighting to be reinstated to her previous position. In an Oct. 9 letter to the district, Rupert’s attorney alleged that the district retaliated against her for reporting unsafe classroom and conditions and publicly opposing school site administrators’ plans to eliminate full-day kindergarten at Phoebe Hearst. They are also alleging sex-based discrimination, claiming that male teachers and administrators have done more substantial renovation than remove carpeting without similar discipline.
After being reassigned to another school Rupert has since gone on medical leave due to depression and anxiety. She reportedly took a pay cut of $16,000 when transferring schools because over-enrollment allowed her to earn more than the typical salary schedule.
Parents’ ongoing protest of teacher removal
Rupert has received an outpouring of support since she was reprimanded and transferred to Isador Cohen Elementary for pulling up old carpet in her classroom. Her advocates have wielded signs at board meetings and school walkouts reading things like, “Dear administration, our teachers are more valuable than old carpet.”
When Mark Henrikson, another sixth grade teacher, was placed on administrative leave earlier this month, parents believed he was being retaliated against by the school district for speaking out on behalf of his former colleague.
Former and current parents and students have tirelessly rallied on Rupert’s behalf, saying that her removal was the result of district bureaucracy. Around 250 students stayed home from school Oct. 13 to protest the removal of the two teachers.
Parents ramped up their efforts at the district’s board meeting Thursday, in which they admonished Board President Jasjit Singh for not taking action on behalf of the reprimanded teachers. Parent Caitlin Beckett presented Singh with formal notice of an intent to recall him.
Singh did not address the parents’ effort to recall him in a statement shared with The Bee.
“I take parent concerns and the safety of our students very seriously,” he said. “While it’s important to hear all voices, accountability is essential, and student safety is paramount.”
This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 3:28 PM.
