Jaclyn LaBarbera is currently on the boards of both the Anderson Union High School District (AUHSD) in Anderson, CA, and the Shasta County Board of Education (SCBOE).
She has been an Anderson Union High School District board member since 2023 and was elected to the county seat in November.
The Mar. 6 letter, written by CTA staff attorney Theresa Witherspoon, claims state law does not allow LaBarbera to hold both positions and demands she leave the Anderson Union High School District board.
" makes clear that a public officer who assumes a second incompatible office is deemed to have forfeited the first office," the letter reads.
LaBarbera declined to comment on the issue. She has told that she believes holding both positions is legal.
LaBarbera's attorney Tracy Henderson responded in a Mar. 11 letter, saying CTA's demands are "wholly inappropriate because you as an organization do not have the proper authority to make such a demand nor opine on the situation as your organization is not a member of the AUHSD community 鈥� namely students, parents and teachers."
Henderson also claims that CTA has an ulterior political motive: "It is common knowledge that the CTA, the organization you represent, is a liberal WOKE organization that holds disdain for conservative school board members of which Ms. LaBarbera clearly is."
The union says LaBarbera holding both positions violates state law because of conflicts of interest.
"Only one significant clash of loyalties is required to make public offices incompatible. The ways in which your positions on the AUHSD board and SCBOE are so numerous that the incompatible nature should be self-apparent," the letter reads.
The letter details some of the conflicts of interest.
- The county board is responsible for qualifying Anderson Union's budget each year.
- The county board and school district have entered into agreements with one another.
- Both boards can approve purchasing, leasing and disposing of real property within overlapping jurisdictions.
The California Teachers Association says if LaBarbera doesn鈥檛 step down, they will petition the Attorney General's office to pursue a quo warranto petition to have her removed from office.
A quo warranto petition is used to resolve legal disputes over whether someone has the right to hold a public office.
"For example, a quo warranto action may be brought to determine [...] whether a public official is serving in two incompatible offices," according to .
