Letter to the School Board from Amanda Looney

October 12, 2025

Dear Bandon School Board Members,

My name is Amanda Looney. A little of my BSD background:  I have been a Bandon resident since 1997 and graduated from Bandon High School in 2001. 

I worked in the Bandon School District from August 2018-August 2023.  I worked first as a substitute for the district in 2018, then was hired on as a Secretary at Harbor Lights Middle School. I worked that position for 2 years, from August 2019-October 2021.  In September of 2021, I applied for and recieved the position as the district’s Business Manager under Shauna Schmerer.  Two years later, in July of 2023, with much sadness and relief, resigned from my position as Business Manager with a 7 week notice, and my final day with the Bandon School District was August 31, 2023.  

On behalf of the wonderful, gifted and valuable employees that have left the Bandon School District over the last 4 years, as well as in protection of the one’s whom remain, I am submitting this letter to you directly.  Last spring, my conviction to type the attached letter was overwhelming.  Typing it out was not done lightly and the way in which I submitted it to the board chair at the time (David Hisel), was with enormous grace and kindness, but with a strong urging to hold Ms Schmerer more accountable for her decisions, more accountable for the information she speaks (is their evidence…ever?), and accountable for the complaints that the board was continually receiving from the community and past employees in regards to her mis-treatment and behavior in public and in private.

This letter was written and given to the board chair in early March of 2025.  This was prior to the staggering number of employees that have resigned since then.  Prior to teacher negotiations etc.  I was not looking for the board to necessarily take an action on Ms Schmerer at the time, but advised Mr Hisel that I was “passing the baton” on this and no longer wanted to have on my conscience the truth of what myself and so many others had endured in our time at the Bandon School District while Ms Schmerer has been in her position as Superintendent.  He was given permission to share with the rest of the board if he felt it was necessary.  I do not believe that it was shared.

I implore you to take to heart the words I share in this attached letter & the words of each person that have bravely spoken up and collectively hold Ms Schmerer accountable for the seeming devastation of this district.

Please feel free to reach out to me with any clarifying questions.  

With gratitude,

Amanda Looney

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March 9, 2025

Dear Bandon School District School Board, My wishes were that I would never have had to write this letter or disclose the true reasons that I resigned from employment with the Bandon School District in July of 2023 while in the position of Business Manager.

Unfortunately, I have continued to watch as employees and the public receive the unprofessional, life affecting, manipulative and hostile treatment by the Superintendent that drove me to leave employment with the BSD. Witnessing the berating and humiliation of employees (myself included but not most important) and community members, along with the constant lies, unprofessional behavior and calculated moves that she would make on a regular basis caused me to seek employment elsewhere as I did not want to be associated with any of that. 

I desired to take a peaceable road when I wrote my letter of resignation. I was not looking to destroy anybody or ruffle feathers and I knew I was going to give 7 more weeks so that I could train the next business manager and complete as much of the 22/23 FY audit as possible prior. I did not want to risk a terrible environment for those last 7 weeks, so I rewrote my resignation a 5th time as I considered that and resigned with the reasoning of “a job came available that is a better fit for our family.”

Despite that, my last 7 weeks were full of hurtful words, manipulative tactics, and continued lies. I was so thankful the day that I walked out of that office, but extremely sad to leave behind the work that I truly loved and other co-workers as well. 

Since resigning in the summer of 2023, Superintendent Schmerer has continued to spread lies about me and my family. She intentionally plants damaging lies and speaks falsities about me and who I am as a person. Thankfully there are many people in this community who truly know me and my family and they have come directly to me with these lies. These words that she speaks and these made-up stories that she tells are enough that could damage a marriage, a family and others that could affect even a church. It’s slander, it’s harmful and it quite frankly is crazy the lengths she has gone. 

I am hearing story after story of people in this community who have received this unacceptable, unprofessional and undeserved treatment (yelling, berating, bullying, manipulation) from her as well as have witnessed unprofessional and unethical behaviors out in public and at local events. If you haven’t been on the receiving end of this irrational and shocking yelling and cursing, consider yourself lucky. 

Since it’s not clear that you have noticed yet, she is calculating. She is calculated in the people she places around her, who to be on her best behavior with, in the ways she carries herself to benefit her and get what she wants, and in the ways that when she’s gone too far and caused a lot of upheaval, she knows when to pull back and retreat out of the limelight. Who is holding this women accountable?! Why are we all so afraid to speak up and stand for what’s right?! 

This letter is coming from a place of great concern for the rest of the BSD staff, people who are in my life (who seem to be a target of hers), and for community members. It’s time for the board to start taking seriously the complaints and concerns that have been brought to your attention by many others. 

The Bandon School District has lost, due to voluntary resignations, forced resignations, unexpected retirements and terminations, a number of really great, dedicated, smart and loyal employees (and a school board member) all due to the lack of accountability for Superintendent Schmerer and the ways that she has you deceived. You have overlooked so many important issues and given her way too much power. I would highly urge you to get a list of all employees that have left employment with the BSD since she was hired and reach out to them to hear personal accounts of their experiences. You most likely will find out that there are many people with similar stories. 

If you would like to discuss any of this in person, please reach out to me. 

Please don’t take this letter as me having a vendetta out for Ms. Schmerer. It has taken me quite a while to decide that, though I chose to forgive Ms. Schmerer quite awhile ago and chose to let go of the wrong things that I personally experienced and those that were done in my presence, I can still speak the truth of those things and of who she is in order to try and protect other people. Especially since it has continued and affects people that I am close to and care about. This letter is to stand for what is right and to speak up on behalf of everyone else that is being affected by her tactics, control and behaviors. 

Thank you for your time. I truly hate that you are losing Mrs. Senn due to this abuse of power and manipulation that comes from the top (Superintendent) and trickles down. This is a failure by the board to properly investigate, look into and seriously consider any and all personnel problems and resignations in the past few years that have been reported to you. 

Food for thought: "For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword.” Proverbs 5:4-5 

With great consideration, 

Amanda Looney