School district fires superintendent over claims she harassed softball players who didn't clap loudly enough for her daughter



A San Diego-area school district fired its superintendent over claims she harassed high school softball players who didn't clap loudly enough for her daughter at an awards ceremony.

What are the details?

The Poway Unified School District voted unanimously Tuesday to terminate Superintendent Marian Kim Phelps, KNSD-TV reported.

The station said an independent investigation commenced last year after parents and students accused Phelps of harassing members of Del Norte High School's softball team.

Students told KNSD Phelps contacted players late at night after the awards ceremony and threatened seniors' graduation privileges if they failed to apologize for not clapping for her daughter. The station said the allegations first surfaced at a Poway Board meeting, but parents said they alerted the district months earlier.

Image source: KNBC-TV video screenshot

In addition, a Del Norte High softball player filed a lawsuit against Phelps and the district over the alleged bullying, claiming emotional distress, violation of free speech, and harassment, KNSD said.

More from the station:

It alleges Phelps orchestrated an internal investigation of the plaintiff, whom Phelps accused of bullying her daughter — the two players were both pitchers and competed for playing time. The plaintiff believes the investigation was meant to prevent her from pitching or playing softball altogether, according to the lawsuit. Jane Doe was ultimately barred from all extracurricular activities in the 2023-2024 school year, including sports, school-sponsored social events and graduation commencement.

Phelps has denied all allegations, KNSD reported, noting that she issued the following statement earlier in the process: “I've never threatened any student. I never would. I've never talked to any student about making threats about them not graduating. All those accusations are completely false and fabricated.”

Attorney Justin Reden represents the Del Norte High School softball player and her family who filed the lawsuit last November, and he told the station that no student should have to go through what his client endured.

Reden added to KNSD: “I think that the district is going to need to dismantle itself at the administrative level and rebuild."

Parent Melinda Huntoon told the station that "it should not take a year with the knowledge that they had. There was just so much evidence from the start to show that this person should not be in this position of power."

School board President Michelle O'Connor-Ratcliff said in an email, KNSD reported, that "based on her conduct, as revealed to the board through the investigation, the board has lost all confidence and trust in Dr. Phelps’ ability to continue to serve as superintendent, as well as in her ability to continue to work collaboratively with the board as part of Poway Unified’s governance team."

O'Connor-Ratcliff also said the "investigation brought to light previously unknown evidence from witnesses with direct first-hand knowledge that contradicted Dr. Phelps’ statements and assertions to the Board, District staff, and the public," the station reported.

A district spokeswoman added to KNSD that Tuesday would be Phelps' last day, and she won't receive a payout for the balance of her contract since she was terminated "for cause."

The station explained that while the district no longer employs Phelps, she's still a parent of a student in the district, and there are no restrictions on her parental activities.

KNSD said it tried reaching out to Phelps for comment but didn't receive a response.

The station said Greg Mizel will continue to serve as interim superintendent during the transition period.

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Minnesota school district seeking an asst. superintendent who can investigate the role of 'Whiteness in systems and structures'



A school district in Minnesota is reportedly seeking an assistant superintendent who will "actively listen for both spoken and unspoken racial concerns" and investigate the "role of 'Whiteness' in systems and structures," according to College Fix.

The job listing was posted by the St. Louis Park Public School District, where the assistant superintendent earns between $134,141–$201,212 per year. The posting said the position "oversees the districtwide efforts related to student management/discipline."

The job posting continued, saying that the position "participates in legislation and rulemaking at [the] state and federal level to ensure that the District has representation regarding the impact of proposed laws and rules in the areas impacting teaching and learning for each student," per Fox News Digital.

The one who fills the position must also be "open to feedback regarding their own racial blind spots" and "seek multiple racial perspectives." The applicant is also expected to "foster joy" and "cultivate a culture of accountability for system racial equity transformation."

Under the knowledge, skills, and abilities section on the listing, the district reportedly seeks an applicant who will "actively listen for both spoken and unspoken racial concerns, seek multiple racial perspectives, examine the presence and role of ‘Whiteness’ in systems and structures, and are open to feedback regarding their own racial blind spots. Fosters joy and cultivates a culture of accountability for systemic racial equity transformation."

The applicant must be someone who "proactively supports the Superintendent to create and communicate anti-racist structures and systems, works to interrupt systems of oppression, and serves as a role model for culturally relevant pedagogy."

The district recently hired a new superintendent, announcing last month that Dr. Carla Hines will fill the position.

Following Hines' hiring, the school board chair said: "Her educational leadership, dedication to student academic success, and vision for racial equity transformation is impressive and I'm confident she'll lead our district with integrity and passion, advancing our strategic plan."

"I am humbled and elated by the opportunity to serve as the next Superintendent of St. Louis Park Public Schools," Hines said in response to the pending hire.

"With a steadfast commitment to see, empower, and inspire each student, I look forward to collaboratively shaping a future where every student's brilliance is realized and celebrated."

The district made Hines' interview for the position public by posting a video to YouTube.

Fox News Digital reached out to the school district for comment but did not receive an immediate reply.

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Oklahoma's top Republican officials divided on decision to approve taxpayer-funded, Catholic charter school



An Oklahoma school board's approval Monday of what would be the country's first taxpayer-funded, religious charter school met with divided responses, including among the state's top Republican officials, the Center Square and other outlets reported.

"I applaud the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board’s courage to approve the authorization for St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School. This is a win for religious liberty and education freedom in our great state, and I am encouraged by these efforts to give parents more options when it comes to their child’s education," Oklahoma Republican Governor Kevin Stitt said in a statement Monday.

"Oklahomans support religious liberty for all and support an increasingly innovative educational system that expands choice. Today, with the nation watching, our state showed that we will not stand for religious discrimination," Gov. Stitt also said.

The Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board approved the school's application Monday in a 3-2 vote.

Charter schools are autonomously-run public schools with "more flexibility in the operations and management of the school than traditional public schools." According to the National Charter School Resource Center, charter schools cannot charge tuition nor can they be affiliated with a religious institution.

The online charter school would be run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa and would be funded with taxpayer dollars, according to the New York Times.

While the Sooner State's governor applauded the decision, Oklahoma Republican Attorney General Gentner Drummond decried it.

"The approval of any publicly funded religious school is contrary to Oklahoma law and not in the best interest of taxpayers," Drummond said, as the Center Square reported.

"It’s extremely disappointing that board members violated their oath in order to fund religious schools with our tax dollars. In doing so, these members have exposed themselves and the State to potential legal action that could be costly," Drummond also said.

"AG Drummond’s opposition is certainly his prerogative, but we believe his interpretation of the law is simply wrong," Brett Farley, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma told TheBlaze Tuesday morning.

Farley noted that Drummond's predecessor, Attorney General John O'Connor, "issued the very thorough and groundbreaking opinion which argued that recent Supreme Court precedent not only protects religious liberty in the context of charters, it demands it."

Farley, as Gov. Stitt, champions yesterday's decision to establish the nation's first religious charter school as a "very big step" in the direction of expanding school choice.

Ryan Walters, Oklahoma's State Superintendent of Public Instruction, like Gov. Stitt and Brett Farley, applauded the decision, describing it as "religious liberty via school choice."

"This decision reflects ... the will of the people of Oklahoma ... I have fought for school choice in all forms and this further empowers parents. We will make sure every Oklahoma parent has the opportunity to decide what is best for their child," Superintendent Walters said in a press release.

\u201cReligious Liberty via School Choice\u201d
— Superintendent Ryan Walters (@Superintendent Ryan Walters) 1685995965

Americans United for Separation of Church and State announced the organization's intention to take legal action in a press release Monday.

"State and federal law are clear: Charter schools are public schools that must be secular and open to all students ... And the government should never force anyone to fund religious education. In a country built on the principle of separation of church and state, public schools must never be allowed to become Sunday schools," the organization wrote.

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Michigan high school mass killing suspect may have been armed with a gun during disciplinary meeting with parents, school officials



The Oxford High School mass killing suspect may have had a gun on him during a meeting with his parents and school administrators on the day he allegedly took the lives of some of his school peers.

The district superintendent maintains at the time of this reporting that the student's troubling disciplinary history did not warrant discipline at the time of the meeting.

The suspect would then soon allegedly go on to shoot at least 11 people, with four killed at the time of this reporting.

What are the details?

Authorities said that the 15-year-old suspect — who is being tried as a adult and who faces terrorism charges in addition to murder and assault — may have had a gun in his backpack during a Monday meeting with administrators to discuss his deteriorating behavior.

At that point, however, no disciplinary action was warranted — at least according to the school superintendent.

"No discipline was warranted," Tim Throne, superintendent of the Oxford Community Schools district, said in a Thursday statement. "Yes, this student did have contact with our front office. And yes, his parents were on campus Nov. 30."

CNN reported Friday that Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said that there's a "strong possibility" that the teen had a gun — which he reportedly used in the mass killing — during the morning meeting.

"During COVID, they don't use lockers, so they just have backpacks," she reasoned. "Unfortunately, he was allowed to get back to class, and we now know that he had a weapon with him at that time, and that is simply tragic."

The teen's parents could also face charges related to the shooting. Earlier this week, McDonald said that the gun the teen is believed to have used was purchased by his father on Black Friday.

"We know that owning a gun means securing it properly and locking it and keeping the ammunition separate and not allowing access to other individuals, particularly minors," McDonald said according to a report from the Detroit Free Press. "We have to hold individuals accountable who don't do that."

The teen suspect, if convicted on all charges, faces possible life in prison.

He has pleaded not guilty on all charges.