Formal Complaint re: Board Responsibility to Investigate Safety, Ethics and Workplace Conduct Concerns

Submitted March 12, 2026

Formal Complaint Requesting Investigation of Safety, Ethics, and Workplace Conduct Concerns

I want to address the board’s recent decision to dismiss several formal complaints solely because they involved events that occurred more than two years ago under Board Policy KL. Board policy timelines may govern an internal complaint procedure, but they do not override legal obligations under Oregon law once a governing body has been put on notice of serious allegations.

Several of the complaints dismissed on March 9, 2026, raised issues involving student and staff safety, the potential misuse of public funds, and unlawful employment practices. These included:

o   Allegations that asbestos concerns were evaluated or handled by an individual who was not a licensed professional and who had a personal relationship with the superintendent, and that district funds were used to compensate that individual. School districts have a legal responsibility to maintain safe facilities and properly manage hazardous materials in school buildings.

o   Multiple accounts from former employees alleging a hostile work environment, retaliation, and constructive termination. Under ORS 659A.030, retaliation and unlawful employment practices are prohibited, and once an employer has notice of allegations like these, it has a responsibility to address them.

o   Allegations involving the use of district funds for the benefit of a person with a personal relationship to a public official raise concerns under ORS 244.040, which prohibits the use of public office for financial gain, and ORS 294.100 regarding liability for the misuse of public funds.

Dismissing these complaints based solely on a policy timeline does not eliminate the district’s responsibility to investigate them once these allegations are known. The board still has a duty to ensure that issues involving safety, employment law, and the use of public funds are appropriately reviewed.

When a governing body is aware of credible allegations involving safety violations, unlawful employment practices, or the misuse of public funds and chooses not to fully investigate them, the potential consequences extend beyond internal policy. They can include state ethics investigations, employment claims, regulatory enforcement actions, civil litigation, financial liability for the district, and in some cases personal liability for public officials.

For the protection of students, staff, taxpayers, and the district itself, I urge the board to reconsider whether these allegations should receive a full and independent review rather than being dismissed solely on a technical timeline.

Suggested Solution:

I request that the Bandon School Board:

1.        Forward the formal complaints that were dismissed on March 9, 2026, to a third-party investigator as originally and unanimously decided, including:

a.        The formal complaint filed by Karina Taylor re: constructive termination

b.        The formal complaint filed by Amanda Looney re: constructive termination

c.        The formal complaint filed by Chris Trevisiol re: constructive termination

d.        The formal complaint filed by Chris Trevisiol re: asbestos

2.        Place the superintendent on immediate administrative leave while the investigation is conducted.

3.        Postpone renewal or renegotiation of the superintendent’s contract until findings from the third-party investigation have been made public.

I ask that you confirm receipt of this formal complaint promptly, and that you adhere to the complaint timeline as described in policy KL-AR:

o   Within 20 days (by 4/1/26) the board must decide in open session what action, if any, is warranted, and

o   Within 30 days (by 4/11/26) the board must issue a final written decision regarding this complaint.