News

SAD 15 settles tort claim

The MSAD#15 Board of Directors and central office employee Debbie Reynolds have reached a mediated resolution of Ms. Reynolds' Maine Human Rights complaint against the District. This resolution closes a chapter on a turbulent period in the District's central office, first reported by The Monument Newspaper last fall.

The District subsequently investigated the anomalies stemming from the Director of Finance office and came to the conclusion that their former Director of Finance, Brian McDonnell, had been insubordinate, unethical, had engaged in bad behavior, had sexually harassed an employee, and had engaged in other inappropriate behavior.

McDonnell's harassment resulted in a tort claim against the District, lodged by Reynolds. As the District discovered subsequent to the claim, McDonnell had failed to include insurance coverage for employment claims despite the strong recommendation of the insurance agent, and in spite of the well-known fact that employment-related claims for wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and other types of claims are commonly filed against school districts.

McDonnell was fired in November, 2003.

Ms. Reynolds claimed that the former Director of Finance, her supervisor, discriminated against and sexually harassed her, and that the former Superintendent failed to take adequate action to correct the problem. Although the Board denied liability for the conduct of the former Director of Finance, it recognized that Ms. Reynolds was not treated well and that new management was needed in the central office. Moreover, the Board was very concerned that the former administration failed to purchase insurance to cover discrimination claims, and that the District could potentially have been exposed to substantial financial liability if the complaint were to go to trial.

Under the settlement, Ms. Reynolds will be paid $45,000 and her attorneys $20,000, and she will drop her complaint and grant the District a complete release of all claims. The resolution also allows Ms. Reynolds, who is a respected and well-liked employee, to continue her work for the District.

Although reluctant to make these payments, the Board determined that they were the most prudent way to protect District resources against a larger potential judgment and to enable the District to focus its energies on its primary mission of educating children.

Since the events that gave rise to the complaint occurred, the Board has hired Victoria Burns as Superintendent, dismissed the former Director of Finance after a contested hearing, purchased insurance to protect the District against employment discrimination claims, and hired a new Director of Finance and Operations.

 

 

 

http://www.MonumentNews.com/2004/news/513/513a.shtml