A California school superintendent was placed on administrative leave Thursday after he was accused of bullying members of a girls’ high school softball team for not giving his daughter enough applause during a ceremony last year.
The Poway Unified School District has placed Superintendent Dr. Marian Kim Phelps on paid administrative leave immediately following a months-long investigation into harassment allegations stemming from the incident.
Phelps and her daughter “JP” said that when the varsity softball player who was named the team’s Most Valuable Player didn’t receive enough applause compared to the other players at a team dinner last May, “ I was dissatisfied.
After the dinner party, “JP” accused the team’s seniors of feeling “jealousy” and “hatred” towards her. According to the lawsuit got it first Broadcast on NBC San Diego.
The 93-page lawsuit alleges that on Nov. 27, unnamed Del Norte State softball pitcher “Jane Doe” and her father sued the school district, Mr. Phelps and other school district employees, alleging violations of free speech and sentiment. The case was filed alleging sexual assault. Pain, harassment, etc.
Phelps is accused of starting an “investigation” on the night of the banquet by texting and calling senior members of the national team, who were underage at the time, for the purpose of questioning them, without their permission. .
The superintendent then allegedly threatened all senior student-athletes with not participating in the graduation ceremony unless they agreed not to applaud.
“[Phelps] Either he admitted to orchestrating a plot against the entire senior softball group to not applaud JP at the softball banquet, or he threatened them as follows: [she] That would ensure that none of the senior softball players would be allowed to walk to graduation.
The school district launched an independent investigation into the allegations on Nov. 15.
“We have reached a critical point in the investigation and have received information regarding the impact of this process.” read statement From the school district. “In order to avoid distractions and ensure continued focus on the business of the district and serving our students and community, the Board is placing the Superintendent on paid administrative leave, effective immediately.
Two students on the university’s softball team were competing to be pitchers on the national team, so the school superintendent allegedly “fabricated” a false story that the players were bullying his daughter.
“We are informed and believe that: [Phelps’] The aggressive behavior was rooted in what she unilaterally perceived to be a bitter rivalry between her daughter JP and the other pitchers on the team, the lawsuit says.
It is alleged that Phelps “designed, managed, and organized an unreasonable and biased internal ‘investigation’ that resulted in plaintiff being banned from all extracurricular activities for the majority of the 2023-2024 academic year.” There is. I read it on NBC San Diego.
“The conduct demonstrated includes gaslighting, retaliation, harassment, intimidation, bullying, and intimidation, all designed to inflict emotional distress on plaintiffs and suppress their freedom of speech and expression. ”
Parents were satisfied with the district’s decision, but questioned why the decision was made in February instead of last year.
“I think it’s a step in the right direction, but I question why now when the board has had the evidence for months,” Del Norte High School parent Rachel Babler said on the show. told.
“I think the school district needs to reconsider what happened here and how transparent it is supposed to be,” said Ted Buchen, another parent.
The district said the results of the investigation are still pending and it could not comment further.
Poway is located approximately 40 miles northeast of San Diego.
