Teacher says she was pressued to change grades
A former Clovis North High School chemistry teacher is suing Clovis Unified School District claiming retaliation after she complained to school officials that she was being pressured by her supervisor to change students’ grades on multiple occasions.
The teacher, Toni Ognibene, alleges in the civil lawsuit that between November 2019 and June 2021 her learning director Katie Scalzo gave her subtle and sometimes notso-subtle suggestions to boost the grades for eight students. Scalzo’s comments came in the form of text messages or emails, which Ognibene carefully compiled. The messages regarding the students’ grades included phrases such as “it would be a really good idea to do this,” “you should do this” and “this needs to happen.”
Ognibene was new to the district and still going through the process of becoming a fully credential teacher; she felt as though she couldn’t say no.
“I didn’t want to do it, but along with being against it for ethical and moral reasons, my credential was at risk,” she said. “And this was a directive from my direct supervisor. It wasn’t really poised as a choice.”
Ognibene believes the learning director was friends with the parents of the students whose grades she changed.
Clovis teacher alleges retaliation in lawsuit
Soon after her teaching credential cleared, she filed a complaint against the learning director.
That is also when Ognibene alleges the retaliation began. In her lawsuit, she accuses school officials of retaliating against her with false accusations, an unsatisfactory performance review and removing her from her position as a chemistry teacher. The 42-yearold Ognigene is suing for emotional distress, mental anguish and economic damages.
Ognibene, who is a USC graduate, calls herself a rule follower and is adamant about student’s earning grades because of the work they do, not because their parents are friends with a school administrator.
She didn’t have any problems under her previous supervisor, known at Clovis Unified as a learning director. In fact, she earned exemplary evaluations for the 2018-19, 2019-20, and 202021 school years. That all changed with the arrival of Scalzo, according to the lawsuit.
“With the new learning director, grades were not based on merit for some students, which is a problem,” Ognibene said in an interview with The Bee. “No one should be afraid to tell the truth, but I was being pressured to change grades and inflate them.”
Scalzo declined to comment on the lawsuit, referring questions to district spokesperson Kelly Avants.
Said Avants: “We are aware of the suit, disagree with its allegations, and are working through the court system accordingly.”