Rialto Unified administrator sues over alleged harassment and retaliation

An administrator at Rialto Unified School District has filed a lawsuit claiming he was stripped of supervisory duties after reporting harassment by a school board member, according to dailybulletin.com and sbsun.com.

Joseph Williams, the district’s senior director of community partnerships, alleges that school board member Evelyn Dominguez subjected him to racial and gender-based harassment. He claims Dominguez criticized him in early 2024 for focusing on Black students over Latino students and told him he needed to "think more like a woman" and be less direct, the lawsuit filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court states.

Williams also alleges that after he made whistleblower complaints, the district reclassified his job in July 2025, which he describes as a "functional demotion" because it removed his supervisory and management responsibilities. The lawsuit claims the district's internal findings substantiated his complaints but does not specify details.

The lawsuit names Rialto Unified and 25 unidentified defendants, alleging whistleblower retaliation, a hostile work environment, and failure to prevent discrimination and retaliation. It seeks damages, attorneys' fees, and civil penalties for each alleged whistleblower retaliation violation.

Williams, who is Black and married to a school board member, continues to work at Rialto Unified. The lawsuit follows years of reported turmoil within the district, including accusations of misconduct and retaliation against employees who reported wrongdoing.