Formal Complaint to the Board by Parents, August 2025

Bandon School Complaint 

Description of Complaint:

Multiple Bandon high school and middle school teachers were involuntarily reassigned to different positions at the end of May in violation of their union contract. This action has already contributed to the resignation of one teacher and there is a looming possibility of additional resignations unless the involuntary reassignments are reversed. These transfers have a direct negative impact on academic rigor for students in multiple subject areas and they have been poorly and inconsistently justified by school Principals and the Superintendent. All of the targeted teachers are actively involved in their union; three of them hold union leadership positions and are also members of the contract negotiating team. We believe these transfers are targeted retaliation on the part of district administration.

Parents, teachers and students have raised concerns about the Superintendent’s actions leading up to and following these transfers. Multiple letters have been submitted to the Superintendent and Board detailing these concerns. We have also requested an agenda item at the upcoming August board meeting to discuss the Superintendent’s actions but have been denied that request, despite the fact that the agenda item does not seek to discuss staff or teaching personnel; we seek to discuss the Superintendent’s handling of the teacher reassignments.

Additionally, we are frustrated by lack of direct access to School Board members. There is a problematic lack of transparency with the current system, wherein there is only a central email address for the school board that is managed by the district office. The school board should be able to operate as an independent body outside the potentially biased influence of the Superintendent and district office staff.

Who should we talk to and what evidence should we consider?

We suggest you speak with teachers, students, parents and union representatives to gain perspective on how the Superintendent’s actions have been perceived and felt, and to understand the legality of those actions. We ask that you consider the current lawsuit filed against the district by a now-former teacher and the Level 3 grievance that the union has filed on behalf of the teachers who were involuntarily reassigned.

Suggested Solution or Relief Sought:

We request that the involuntary transfers be reversed. We also request that individual email accounts be established and made publicly available for each member of the School Board to facilitate direct communication with the public.