board member slanders district administrator

[65guitars]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

Hello all,
I am a school district administrator and have been employed in the same district for 13 years;5 years as a teacher, 4 as a high school assistant principal, 3 years as a district level administrator.

It is well-known that one of our school board members wants to re-hire a former district employee (they are long-time very close friends) who worked for me and was laid off last year, and she wants me gone. My position was eliminated this year (supposedly because of budget cuts). But, instead of being reassigned to another administrative position (for which there are several current openings), I have been reassigned as a teacher, with a $46,000/year difference in salary. Every one of my performance evaluations for the past 13 years have been glowing and I am highly respected by parents, students and fellow employees. There has never been a complaint against me.

THE DEFAMATION INCIDENT: After a school board meeting this Board Member approached a community member to show her an anonymous hate letter that was supposedly sent to her. The Board Member went on to say that I wrote that letter. Remember, she said this to a community member! When the superintendent called the board member, the board member at first denied having accused me of writing the letter, but finally relented and admitted to telling the citizen that she believed I wrote it. (Others have said that the board member wrote this letter herself to smear me, but I have no proof of that)

Is this a good case for defamation of character?

[perroloco2]

Yours is not a question of Education Law. I suggest you repost in the Consumer & General Law Forum, Libel/Slander/Defamation subforum for a quicker response.

[65guitars]

Thanks for the suggestion. I had thought that might be a better place.