The leadership fight at Antioch Unified School District has moved to court. Superintendent Darnise Williams, who has been on administrative leave since late August, has sued the district and trustee Mary Rocha, alleging race, gender and age discrimination, harassment and a hostile work environment.
What the lawsuit claims
The complaint was filed in Contra Costa County Superior Court and also names 50 unnamed people accused of authorizing, aiding or failing to prevent the alleged mistreatment, Hoodline reported, citing Bay Area News Group coverage. According to those reports, Williams says the district never investigated her complaints and did not complete her performance evaluation, which she argues breached her employment agreement.
Wisevoter's summary of the case says Williams alleges Rocha made discriminatory remarks about her ethnicity, and that the trouble escalated after Williams challenged cash-in-lieu health-benefit payments to board members. Those are allegations in a lawsuit, and none has been decided by a court.
Rocha's response
Rocha declined to discuss the specifics but told the Mercury News she believes the claims are politically motivated, timed to hurt her as she campaigns for reelection to the school board. The district did not immediately respond to Bay Area News Group's request for comment.
How we got here
Williams was hired in June 2025 after leading the Pacifica School District and Sequoia Union High School District. On Aug. 25, 2026, trustees voted 4-1 in closed session to place her on leave until further notice, with board President Jag Lathan dissenting, Contra Costa News reported. The board then voted 5-0 to name Ed Dacus acting superintendent for a few days, followed by Jose Banda starting Aug. 31. The Antioch Herald reported that Williams continues to be paid while on leave.
The dispute lands while the district is already under financial strain. Trustees approved an $18.27 million reduction plan for 2026-27 in May, and the district issued layoff notices covering roughly 303 full-time-equivalent positions in March, according to reports compiled by Hoodline.