Parents and supporters urge reinstatement of teacher Michael Moliere, allege retaliation

Supporters of a suspended Sequoia Union High School District teacher pressed the board during public comment on Oct. 30, saying the district’s handling of the case has harmed students and staff and warning of legal consequences.

Several speakers named Michael Moliere and described him as a committed special-education teacher. Maria Cortez, who said her son had been a student of Moliere’s, asked the board to “look into your hearts” and “allow him to continue to benefit students,” saying she could not identify any reason he should be barred from work. A community speaker, Jeremy Ray, told the board he was putting “truth and evidence into the public record for the upcoming EEOC investigations and lawsuits” alleging hostile work environment, retaliation and racial trauma under the district’s watch.

Dan Moliere, who identified himself as a family member, accused district leaders by name of participating in a cover-up and said he expected lawsuits; he demanded the board restore Moliere to work by Oct. 31 or face further legal action. “Every day he stays home, you’re hurting children,” Dan Moliere said in remarks to the board. Other commenters described alleged personnel mishandling and urged investigation and redress.

Board members did not make personnel decisions during public comment and deferred any personnel-specific discussion to appropriate closed-session procedures or follow-up with staff. The district earlier reported, in the meeting’s closed-session report, that the board had approved charges and a recommendation for dismissal and immediate unpaid suspension for a classified staff member (identified in the report as “classified staff, 6915”), a separate personnel action reported out under closed-session rules.

The board’s public-record process and next steps were not announced during the comment period. Several speakers asked the board to publicly reinstate the teacher and to engage with unions and investigators; the board asked staff to follow up on the public comments and noted that personnel matters are subject to confidentiality and legal limits.

Next steps: The board did not take action during the public-comment period. Speakers said they expected EEOC filings and lawsuits; the district said staff would respond through established channels and follow-up and that personnel matters would be handled consistent with applicable law and collective-bargaining agreements.