Charter School Whistleblowers Sue Over Special Education Failures

Two former educators at Berkley Maynard Academy, a North Oakland charter school operated by Aspire Public Schools, have filed whistleblower retaliation lawsuits alleging they were punished for raising concerns about systemic failures in special education services and unsafe learning conditions. The cases, handled by Elana Jacobs, partner at Winer Burritt Scott & Jacobs LLP, spotlight allegations that school administrators retaliated against Iris Velasco, a former assistant principal, and Maryann Doudna, a former teacher, after they spoke up about noncompliance with state and federal laws protecting students with disabilities, English learners, and those from low-income families. According to the lawsuits and a KQED investigation, educators described a campus culture where concerns about vulnerable students were ignored, leading to worsening classroom conditions, high staff turnover, and students not receiving legally mandated services through their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

"Educators are often the first to recognize when schools fail to meet their legal obligations to students," said Jacobs, whose firm Winer Burritt Scott & Jacobs LLP specializes in employment and whistleblower cases. "When they speak up, they're doing so to protect children's educational rights, not to make trouble." Velasco alleges she was terminated shortly after filing a whistleblower complaint, while Doudna says she felt forced to resign after repeated pleas for help went unanswered. The lawsuits raise critical questions about oversight and accountability in charter schools, with Jacobs emphasizing that "charter schools are public schools, and they must be held to the same legal standards as any district when it comes to special education compliance and student safety."

The cases highlight broader implications for educational equity and whistleblower protection. Jacobs stressed that retaliation against educators has consequences far beyond the workplace: "This isn't just a workplace dispute, it's about kids with disabilities, English learners, and low-income families whose rights are being ignored. If whistleblowers are silenced, families lose their strongest allies inside the system." Aspire Public Schools has denied the allegations, but the educators hope their lawsuits will prompt meaningful change and encourage a culture where teachers can speak up about noncompliance without fear of punishment. The ongoing litigation serves as a critical test case for how charter schools handle special education compliance and whether they can be held accountable when they fail to meet legal obligations to their most vulnerable students.