Judge drops suit against Placer Union High School District, ex-superintendent Tooker

A Placer County Superior Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit against the Placer Union High School District and former Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Tooker. PUHSD lawyers were served with a lawsuit in July 2024 on behalf of then-Del Oro High School Athletic Director and teacher Jill Butler, Tooker's ex-wife. The lawsuit alleged harassment and discrimination after Butler's application to become an assistant principal at Placer High School in the previous school year was not processed. "From the beginning, attorneys representing the school district and I knew this case would be dismissed," Tooker said in an interview with the Auburn Journal. "… I'm happy this is behind us." The complaint, filed July 24, 2024, included work environment harassment, failure to prevent harassment and discrimination based on marital status (Tooker and Butler were married from 2000 to 2013, he said). Butler, a Placer High School graduate, sought restitution. Then, in late November 2024, the PUHSD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to end its employment agreement with Tooker. "I know, working with Jeff, (he) has always conducted himself with the utmost integrity," said Debbie Brannam, who was the PUHSD board president at the time the lawsuit was filed. "I know he's been ran over a few times and backed up and run over again." Tooker said he "loved" his 32-year career with the district "and the work we did. I wish them continued success," he said. Tooker, a Del Oro High School graduate, served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, interim principal, assistant superintendent and deputy superintendent of educational services. Tooker says he's now following his "passion" for education as an executive consultant coaching school administrator and teaching masters degree courses in education for teachers and aspiring administrators. "It was an honor serving PUHSD. Now I'm serving communities throughout America, and that's very satisfying," he said. "One of my passions has always been coaching. Now I get to coach current public administrators. It's a real difficult time to be a school administrator, and they need all the support they can get."