In a dramatic turn of events, the Poway Unified School District in California has dismissed its superintendent, Marian Kim Phelps, following allegations of misconduct and abuse of power. Phelps was accused of threatening students with the revocation of their graduation privileges for not applauding her daughter sufficiently during a school event.
The school board, which oversees the district of approximately 35,000 students, voted unanimously to terminate Phelps' contract in a closed-door meeting on Tuesday. The decision came after an extensive investigation into the allegations, which began on November 15 and concluded on April 18.
The investigation, according to a statement from the school board, revealed "previous unknown evidence with witnesses with direct first-hand knowledge that contradicted Dr. Phelps’ statements and assertions to the board, district staff and the public." As a result, the board stated it had "lost all confidence and trust in Dr. Phelps’ ability to continue to serve as superintendent."
The allegations against Phelps stem from an incident that occurred at a softball awards banquet in May. Students on the Del Norte High School softball team, where Phelps' daughter was a member, claimed that Phelps accused them of not clapping loudly enough for her daughter during the ceremony. The superintendent allegedly contacted some of the students late that night, threatening to revoke their graduation privileges unless they apologized to her daughter.
The students' coach, Tom Peronto, also claimed that his job was threatened after he alerted the board to Phelps' alleged "abuse of power." He stated that Phelps falsely accused him of verbally attacking a board member, using this as a pretext to have him dismissed from his coaching position.
In addition to the school board's investigation, a lawsuit was filed in San Diego County in November, alleging that Phelps had constructed a false narrative suggesting that one of the students had bullied her daughter. The lawsuit further claimed that Phelps had orchestrated a biased internal investigation against the student, resulting in the student being barred from extracurricular activities for her senior year.
Despite the allegations and the board's decision, Phelps has maintained her innocence. In a statement to NBC San Diego, she denied ever threatening any student, calling the accusations "completely false and fabricated."
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