FAC represents journalist Holly McDede in CPRA litigation against Los Angeles Unified School District to compel disclosure of records related to teacher misconduct.
In June 2024, McDede asked the District for copies of “all public records related to any and all claims of misconduct against teachers or other school employees from 2014 to the date this request is fulfilled,” including but not limited to investigations and findings of misconduct and reports from the District to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (“CTC”).
Despite correspondence from McDede answering the District’s questions and narrowing the request to exclude documents already filed in court, the District failed to disclose any responsive records or claim any exemptions for 11 months.
In May 2025, the District attempted to charge McDede $8,000 to search for responsive records. The District also contended its reports to the CTC were exempt from disclosure based on statutes that apply only to the CTC, not school districts.
FAC wrote to the District in June 2025, explaining that the $8,000 fee was unlawful and the District was violating the CPRA by failing to disclose responsive records. The District responded by saying it would resume its search.
In October 2025, McDede requested similar records from the District for the time period from June 1, 2024 to October 1, 2025. The District again failed to disclose any responsive records, prompting FAC to send another letter in December 2025 demanding prompt production.
In January 2026, the District disclosed copies of agreements it had made to settle claims or lawsuits, but it failed to produce any other responsive records and stood by its previous position on disclosure of the District’s reports to the CTC. To date, the District has not disclosed any responsive records other than the settlement agreements.
Press Releases:
FAC Sues L.A. Schools for Concealing Teacher Misconduct Records (5/19/2026)
Legal Documents:
- Petition for Writ of Mandate (5/19/2026)
- FAC Urges L.A. Unified School District to Fulfill Records Request Without Charging Unlawful Fees (6/25/2025)