Sacramento district cancels town hall for Phoebe Hearst teachers. ‘What a joke’
Sacramento City Unified School District canceled a Friday meeting requested by families of Phoebe Hearst Elementary School regarding the two teachers who were removed from their classrooms this school year.
Board President Jasjit Singh told The Sacramento Bee that they decided to cancel the meeting after they were strongly advised to do so by their insurance company and legal team in light of new information received by the district the morning of the meeting.
Teacher Jeanine Rupert’s lawyer James Jones said in an interview that they are now asking the district for money in their demand for a remedy, marking a shift from the demands in the letter her previous attorney sent to the district earlier this month, which only asked that Rupert be reinstated.
Rupert was placed on administrative leave in August for pulling up carpet in her classroom, which she claims was in poor condition and “riddled with fleas.” The move cost the district upwards of $22,000 in damages, according to documents obtained via a public records request. She was transferred to Isador Cohen Elementary in early September, but has since gone on personal leave.
A group of 360 parents and community members requested a town hall meeting with district leadership to discuss the removal of both Rupert and her fellow sixth grade teacher Mark Henrikson, who was placed on administrative leave on Oct. 6 after advocating for Rupert’s return to the school. Parents believe his discipline was retaliatory.
Henrikson’s removal from the classroom ignited a firestorm — in the weeks since his absence, kids protested at the school jog-a-thon, parents flooded a school board meeting and 250 Phoebe Hearst students walked out of school in an effort to get district leadership to reverse their decision.
“We recognize how important this meeting was to all of you, as you seek answers to the specific issues that impact your school and community. We apologize for any inconvenience,” the district said in a Friday afternoon message to Phoebe Hearst families.
Singh, who is facing a recall in relation to the controversy at Phoebe Hearst, said he was committed to hosting a listening session in a virtual format, tentatively scheduled for Nov. 3. He said that the move to a virtual format was in part due to safety concerns and to make the meeting more accessible to all families.
The district also wrote that they would be providing Phoebe Hearst families with written answers to the specific questions posed in their Oct. 10 email again requesting a town hall.
“What a joke,” lead parent organizer Caitlin Beckett said after learning that the meeting was canceled. “This is all we’ve asked for.”
Prior to the cancellation of the meeting, Beckett said that she and other parents were moving forward with their campaign to recall Singh. Now, she is more driven than ever to make it happen.
“I want you to know that if I have to go door to door to 8,000 people myself, I will get the signatures, I will do it,” she said.
Ex-Phoebe Hearst teacher’s legal actions
Rupert declined to be interviewed, saying she was advised not to by her lawyer, but Jones spoke with The Bee prior to learning the meeting was canceled.
Jones said that while they were including monetary compensation in their claims against the district, it doesn’t preclude Rupert from potentially accepting terms without monetary compensation.
“If she was faced with the question of ‘I can take a step now that heals this campus or I can have a fight over a monetary reward’ — she cares about the students. I think that’s where her heart is,” Jones said.
Jones took on Rupert as a client 10 days ago and said he told the district’s attorney that this could lead to legal action in court, “where she stands a likelihood of success and that the claims would be substantial if we went that far.”
In a letter sent by her previous representation, attorney Eric Lindstrom wrote that she was willing to waive all claims against the district if it rescinds all adverse actions against her, but that if the district stands its ground, that they are prepared to seek “all available remedies.”
This story was originally published October 24, 2025 at 4:08 PM.
