Former Rialto Unified School District Superintendent Cuauhtemoc Avila has filed a long-anticipated lawsuit alleging he was fired earlier this year because he publicly accused district officials of engaging in unethical and illegal conduct.
The suit, filed July 3 in San Bernardino Superior Court, mirrors the allegations outlined in a previous legal claim in which Avila portrayed himself as a victim of a campaign to destroy his reputation because he stood in the way of officials trying to exert more control over daily operations.
Named as a defendant in the suit is Edgar Montes, a school trustee of 15 years whom Avila claims was instrumental in the school board’s decision to place him on nondisciplinary leave on May 8, 2024, and subsequently fire him 10 months later.
Avila’s claim against Rialto Unified, filed in November 2024, accused Montes and Patricia Chavez, the district’s lead agent of innovation, of “joining forces” to damage his standing in the community. Chavez accused Avila of sexual harassment, which resulted in Avila’s placement on paid administrative leave.
Avila alleges Chavez fabricated sexual harassment allegations against him because he refused to promote her.
“The findings of the investigation of sexual harassment made by Dr. Chavez were that (Avila) did not sexually harass Dr. Chavez,” according to the lawsuit, in which Avila also claims his firing was pretextual. He claims the district prolonged the investigation for 10 months to damage his reputation before firing him, without cause, on Feb 19.
Montes, according to the lawsuit, engaged in several instances of unethical and illegal conduct over the years. He told the superintendent multiple times he needed to consult with Montes, not the school board, when making decisions, and that Montes wanted to be more involved in operational matters at the district.
Additionally, suit alleges Montes wanted Avila to hire vendors whose services were not needed, to hire friends and family of Montes even if they were unqualified and to shut down an investigation into the Nutrition Services department amid allegations of employee mistreatment and inflation of student meal counts to obtain more reimbursement in state and federal subsidies.
Interim Superintendent Judy White, amid a Southern California News Group investigation into the alleged misconduct involving top managers in the Nutrition Services department, ordered a forensic audit and internal investigation of the department after she was appointed by the board following Avila’s termination. The audit and investigation, which remain ongoing, prompted a parallel investigation by the state Department of Education, according to the district.
Avila also alleges that Montes, during a Feb. 5 board meeting, launched a salvo of erroneous and defamatory allegations against Avila in a 14-minute rant.
“During his angry, rambling statement, Edgar Montes, among other things, referred to Dr. Chavez’s false sexual harassment allegations against Dr. Avila numerous times for the purpose of embarrassing and humiliating him. Moreover, he also made false accusations of collusion against Dr. Avila,” according to the lawsuit.
Rialto Unified spokesperson Syed Jafri said the district has received Avila’s lawsuit, and that district counsel is reviewing the claims. She declined further comment, citing personnel matters and litigation.
Avila’s attorney, Robert Brown, also declined to comment.
