School board faces heat from agriculture teacher allegations

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The intention of the Monday evening school board meeting was to keep it simple and boil down to one item. Action Item 12.1 which indicated approval of the Assistant Superintendents and Business Manager contracts through June 30, 2025.

District Superintendent Larry Mendonca said at the Monday, July 17, Oakdale Co-ed School District Board meeting that the meeting was scheduled because it is a timely item, which needs to be addressed in a public forum.

Still, it was one element of the closed-door session, listed under personnel matters, that seemed to entice the most attendees.

When the meeting opened at 6:30 p.m., Chair Tina Shatswell reviewed the items that had been discussed in camera, followed by a statement that no action had been taken.

While the public comment portion of the meeting was open to those present in the room, the parents’ complaint against the closed-door district employee continued to be a matter of concern for parents and students.

First to the podium was parent Autumn Skultety, who filed the formal complaint against an Oakdale High School teacher on June 8, 2023. On the number of items listed in the complaint on behalf of her two sons, one included a noose placed around a son’s neck as a form of extra credit.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to speak tonight or not, Skultety shared, noting that she felt it was important to approach the board to provide clarification, ask questions and point out some inconsistencies.

I am not waiving my right to appeal, she said.

A noose was actually thrown around my son’s neck. It left a rope burn that was documented the day it happened and three days later it remained, the mother shared from the podium.

Skultety further shared that she received a response to her June 8 complaint from Deputy Superintendent Craig Redman. In his findings, Redman said there was not enough evidence to support his son suffering from a rope burn. Skultety shared, Redman also said there was no evidence his son was humiliated during class. To which the mother asked what makes the administrator qualified to determine how her son was feeling based on the testimony of the students.

Quote, the student witnesses all confirmed that my son did not appear to have suffered any injuries after the rope incident and appeared to be fine, end of quote, she said, adding that prior to the act, all the students had their phones taken by the teacher. This allegation was later supported by another parent of a pupil as well as by a pupil of this class during the public consultation.

The fourth allegation, the agricultural teacher provided little to no guidance when my sons were building their project, then deliberately halted the project to show they weren’t doing a good job, Skultety shared of her complaint.

Mr. Redman felt that was not the case because the agricultural teacher said a quote, he simply demonstrated to the students why the project was not stable enough, she noted. He broke it.

The majority of the nightly meeting would see the initial speaker followed by many parents, as well as students supporting his claims against the same teacher with their own stories of misconduct, abuse, harassment, as well as retaliation from the teacher and other students. for speaking up.

Board Member Terri Taylor reminded the audience and speakers that until a proper investigation is carried out, all complaints are considered allegations and cannot be prosecuted until ‘they have not been investigated. She also reminded the group that social media is not an appropriate medium to use and encouraged people with complaints to properly contact the administration by email or by filing a formal complaint.

Parent John Sphar asked the council about the availability of a form to make a formal complaint, as he himself came up empty when he inquired with the district. Superintendent Mendonca confirmed that while there is no actual form, an email or written letter outlining the items of concern sent to district administration is considered a formal complaint.

Correct, there is no formal model form, by which we ask questions and what the allegation is. Just a written format, Mendonca said.

A number of parents took to the podium, sharing concerns and stories of retaliation towards their student and others at the hands of the teacher in question.

We also do not tolerate retaliation. So there are provisions and processes in place to address your concerns about retaliation, Mendonca told a speaker.

What could have been seen as the moment of the meeting’s microphone drop would have been when four students, including two OHS FFA officers, spoke to the council to support the allegations with their own stories of abuse. .

I didn’t speak because I felt it was pointless, shared OHS Class of 2023 graduate Jewlia Word, addressing the council after her father Brett, who also spoke and shared that they too would file a formal complaint.

So yes, I am here and these are my facts, said young Word. I’m ashamed to say it, but I was mentally abused by your teacher. He destroyed me. As much as I tried and fought it, it tore me down and I felt like you weren’t going to do anything about it, because nothing had happened for four years. I defended myself against an adult and no one helped me.

As the board considered the reality of these students and their parents speaking out about the agricultural teacher, President Shatswell reassured students and parents that all allegations were taken seriously and would be investigated.

We want you to be safe. We don’t want you to feel unsafe, Shatswell said. We really want people to show up. If you feel that at the lower level you are not doing anything, please go to the district. We want to examine it. We want to hear them.

Supporting Word in her allegations and sharing her own story, OHS FFA officer Amanda Osmundson spoke out about the agriculture professor looking at her inappropriately.

I had actually considered quitting the officer team because of everything that was going on with this teacher, Osmundson said. As a senior who just graduated, I have heard countless and countless things that have been said about this teacher by other students, women in particular, who were uncomfortable but too scared to say anything.

The 2023 graduate further shared stories of retaliation, inappropriate behavior, and concerns about teacher maturity through his behavior.

Almost an hour of the one-hour-and-five-minute meeting was devoted to public comments, mostly regarding the teacher in question.

As the meetings ended, board member Clayton Schemper became emotional, sharing his concern and compassion for the students speaking.

For the kids who shared they were too scared to say anything, honestly to me it breaks my heart, Schemper said. For you to feel like you’re in an environment where you don’t feel safe, that’s going to change.

The next regular school board meeting will be Monday, August 14 at the OJUSD Tech Center, with the public portion of the meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m.

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