In this article, Lyne Richardson, partner with Ford &Harrison's L.A. office and Michelle Rapoport, associate with Ford &Harrison's L.A. office discuss a recent case against the Governing Board of Ventura Unified School District. The second Appellate District of the California Court of Appeal held that a custodian can't be automatically terminated for entering a plea of no contest to a charge involving a controlled substance. Bottom line: Public employees generally are entitled to greater protection than private employees.