BEVERLY HILLS—On Wednesday, July 29, ex-Beverly Hills High School principal Carter Paysinger filed paperwork to run for a seat on the Beverly Hills Unified School District Board of Education.
Paysinger’s decision to run for a seat on the board comes only a month after his June 30 retirement from BHHS. He announced his plan to retire on January 26, when it became apparent that he would not be asked back the following year.
In July 2014, Paysinger filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the district, which was settled for $685,000 on July 28, 2015.
In a statement following the settlement, Paysinger said, “now that my case is resolved, I can focus all of my attention on seeking election to the board and continuing my goals of moving our district forward to the highest level of excellence.”
“With the continued support of the community, if elected to the Board, I will be in the best position to effect the changes that we desperately need,” says Paysinger.
Three others have already filed paperwork for a seat of the Board of Education, including Mel Spitz, a former board member; Isabel Hacker, a parent and property manager; and incumbent Noah Margo.
The window to file for one of the three spots on the Board is open until Friday, August 7.
Paysinger has been a part of the Beverly Hills High School community for decades. He was a graduate of the class of 1974, head football coach between 1990 and 2008 and became the school’s first African-American principal in 2010.
During his time as principal, he said in a statement that “my working conditions were appalling. The retaliation and discrimination created an untenable working environment. But I chose to endure the abuse because of my loyalty to our students and to this community.”
Carter Paysinger is currently the president-elect of the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section.
