Mt. Diablo USD Board Enters Closed Session on Lawsuits, Labor and Superintendent Review

The Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board convened March 11, 2026, and moved quickly into a closed session packed with six items — including two litigation matters, a liability claim, labor negotiations, and the superintendent's performance evaluation. No public comment was offered on any of the closed-session items.

• Board takes up two active litigation matters and a liability claim behind closed doors

• Superintendent performance evaluation on the agenda as board weighs district leadership

• Labor negotiations and possible employee discipline round out a heavy closed-session docket

Legal Exposure and Leadership Questions Dominate Closed Session

Why it matters: The volume and range of closed-session items — spanning active lawsuits, anticipated litigation, a liability claim, employee discipline, labor negotiations, and the superintendent's evaluation — point to a district managing significant legal and personnel pressures simultaneously. Decisions made behind closed doors on these matters could carry real fiscal and operational consequences for Mt. Diablo USD's 30,000-plus students and their families.

Where things stand: The board read six items into the record before entering closed session:

• Labor negotiations under Government Code Section 54957.6, involving direction to district representatives regarding employee negotiations.

• Possible discipline, dismissal, release, or reassignment of a public employee.

• Existing litigation: Forester v. Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Contra Costa County Superior Court Case No. C25-03367.

• Anticipated litigation with significant exposure to the district under Government Code Section 54956.1.

• Liability claim filed by claimant Cervantes Linda under Government Code Section 54995.95.

• Superintendent performance evaluation under Government Code Section 54957.

No public comment was received on any of the six items. The available record covers only the pre-closed-session portion of the meeting; no report-out or open-session actions were captured.

What's next: Any reportable actions from closed session — such as direction on litigation settlements, labor negotiation terms, or superintendent contract decisions — would typically be disclosed at a subsequent open session. Residents and stakeholders should watch for post-closed-session disclosures at the board's next regular meeting.

• Roll call: Four of five trustees were present at the start — Trustee Thomas McDougall, Trustee Linda Mayo, Trustee Debra Mason, and a fourth member who responded as present. Trustee Brian Lawrence arrived shortly after and joined before the board entered closed session. "And we have been joined by Trustee Lawrence," a board official announced, confirming a full quorum.

Note: The available transcript covers only the opening minutes of the March 11, 2026, meeting through the start of closed session. Coverage of any open-session business or closed-session report-outs was not available at the time of publication.