Temecula School Board Member Calls Conclusion Of Probe That She Wasn't Harassed 'Botched': Report

TEMECULA, CA — A probe into a Temecula school board member who accused her colleague of sexually harassing her last year at a holiday party found that her complaint was unfounded, The Press-Enterprise reported.

Jen Wiersma is now fighting back against what she called a "botched investigation" into her claim that colleague Steven Schwartz harassed her.

Her attorney has filed an appeal with the California Department of Education

“I am calling on state leadership to examine what appears to be both factual and procedural errors on behalf of the board president and district leadership,” she said in a video posted to Instagram.

Read more from The Press-Enterprise: Temecula school board member fights probe’s conclusion that she wasn’t harassed

It's been nearly a year since Wiersma publicly accused the Temecula Valley School District trustee of harassing her. The allegation came from a Dec. 5, 2024, gathering at a California School Boards Association conference in Anaheim. That evening, all TVUSD board members joined together for a photo in front of a Christmas tree in a hotel lobby.

As the board members posed for the photo, Wiersma was next to Schwartz. In her recounting, Wiersma said Schwartz made an inappropriate comment, telling her she could "cop a feel" if she wanted and that his wife would not mind.Wiersma further alleged that newly elected TVUSD board member Dr. Melinda Anderson was nearby and overheard the crude remark, but dismissed it, telling Wiersma, "That's just Steve."

Later, Schwartz adamantly denied the exchange, and Anderson told an investigator that she never heard it nor had she heard about it from Wiersma that night. She also firmly rejected the notion that she said, "That's just Steve."

An independent probe conducted on behalf of the district found that her claim was less than truthful.

The evidence raises "concerns about the credibility of, and motivation behind, Ms. Wiersma's complaint and suggests her complaint may not have been made in good faith — or, at best, that she exercised poor judgment ...," according to the probe led by San Clemente-based Nicole Miller & Associates, Inc.

READ MORE: Probe Raises Concerns About Credibility Of Temecula Valley USD Trustee Wiersma