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Hacienda la Puente trustees press for stronger legal representation and safety protections after years of harassment claims
Summary
Trustees used part of the July 27 special session to press district legal firms for faster, clearer responses to workplace harassment and safety incidents; board president and several trustees requested dedicated counsel and service-level agreements to ensure timely legal protections.
At a July 27 special session, Hacienda la Puente Unified trustees pressed the district's legal counsel and staff to provide more proactive legal services for boardmembers and staff, citing years of targeted harassment, doxxing and safety concerns.
Board President Serrano, who described sustained harassment affecting her and family members, said the district's contracted legal team had not provided timely protection and requested a separate legal firm to represent boardmembers on workplace-harassment matters. "I have been experiencing workplace harassment here for over three years," Serrano said, and asked the board to authorize representation in ongoing harassment matters.
Trustees described a range of incidents: doxxing on social media, intrusion at a graduation event by a person who lacked a ticket, and persistent attacks that trustees said threatened personal safety. Several trustees called for clearer service-level agreements with outside counsel to set response times, and suggested a dedicated panel or firm to handle urgent protective actions such as cease-and-desist letters and restraining orders.
"Protecting someone's life has to be a priority," Serrano said, urging faster legal response times and written service expectations. Trustee Loa said she previously requested protections and that some requests had been ignored; she asked the board to review what protections were requested and how legal counsel responded.
Board discussion also addressed the district's general counsel selection. President Serrano said she supported moving AMLO (a law firm on the district panel) forward as general counsel. Trustees asked staff to provide documentation of the current legal-panel contracts, cost and scope of services, and recommended a closed-session review of outstanding legal memos that raise unresolved issues.
The discussion was advisory; trustees did not take a binding vote during the July 27 session. Trustees asked the superintendent and legal team to return with written summaries, timelines and proposed policy language that clarify when dedicated legal representation and emergency legal responses will be provided to trustees and staff.
The board also asked staff to review safety protocols for public events, including graduations, and to coordinate with law enforcement on security planning and access controls.
The board adjourned after completing the special-session agenda; trustees said they expect follow-up reports on legal services and safety policy early in the coming weeks.
