WOODLAND – Two Woodland Middle School teachers have been fired for alleged insubordination. Meanwhile, the school’s principal is under fire from some staff members and the teachers’ union president for what they call unprofessional behavior.
Physical education teacher Cheryl Nesbitt and English teacher Holly Royle received discharge letters from Woodland Public Schools Superintendent Michael Green on Dec. 17. They violated procedures by changing a student’s schedule to enroll him without permission in a physical education (PE) class rather than an elective English class, according to Green’s letters.
“This schedule change was made without following proper procedures and after a request to change the student’s schedule had already been denied,” Green wrote.
He said the teachers engaged in “deliberate misrepresentation of student grades and attendance records” by enrolling the student in Nesbitt’s PE class.
“These acts show a flagrant disregard for the basic honesty and integrity expected of teachers in the grading and supervision of students,” Green wrote.
The issue involves a Special Education student who had been placed in Royle’s advanced English class where he was unable to perform the course work. Royle wrote on Facebook that she and Nesbitt were simply looking out for the student’s needs. The English course was so stressful that the boy cried in class, said Woodland Education Association representative Roy Maier.
Maier said the union denies the charges against both teachers. He added that Principal Cari Thomson knew the student was in the PE class for some time prior to filing her complaint with Superintendent Green, who never spoke to the teachers about the charge.
“The principal knew and approved of this student being sent to gym instead of the elective,” Maier said. “Thomson was aware of the fact he was in PE class all this time. There was no intent on the part of the teachers to falsify student grades for the student.”
The Reflector was unable to reach Thomson for comment. Green said it is the school district’s policy not to comment in detail on personnel cases.
“It is our practice not to publicly discuss ongoing personnel issues out of respect for the dignity of our public employees,” Green said. “Tough personnel decisions must be made by principals and superintendents when there are issues of misconduct or poor performance. These decisions are seldom popular and are always made with the impact on students in mind.
“Under Washington State law, teachers and certificated administrators have the right to a hearing before an independent hearing officer before being terminated. Such decisions are not made by principals. When a certificated employee requests such a hearing, the hearing officer determines whether the school district has sufficient cause to terminate the employee based on evidence presented at a formal hearing. No certificated employee loses pay or benefits until the hearing officer issues a decision.
“Late in the day on Friday, December 19, the last day of business before winter break, the Washington Education Association presented a list of alleged misconduct by Dr. Thomson. This was the first time that I received any complaint of misconduct regarding this principal. I have requested that the union provide detailed support for the allegations so that the District may investigate these claims.”
Nesbitt and Royle were given 10 days from the time they received the letter to ask for a hearing if they disagreed with their dismissal.
“It was just before (Christmas) break and they were in a panic,” Maier said. “I think the timing was such that the district and its law firm would be out of the office until the fifth of January. It was a dirty trick. There’s no doubt about it.”
Maier said he met with nine teachers, including Nesbitt and Royle, on Dec. 18 after the two women were dismissed. Maier learned that teachers have been collecting information on Thomson’s behavior at school for some time.
Maier said he’s in the process of talking with witnesses and determining dates and times of various actions by Thomson. On Dec. 19, he wrote a letter to Green asking the superintendent to report Thomson to the state Office of Professional Practices for possible sanctions due to “complaints about Principal Thomson’s unprofessional conduct from parents and staff.”
Among the concerns about Thomson that Maier listed in his letter to Green were:
• “Principal Thomson has physically assaulted a special education student in the presence of a staff member.”
• “Principal Thomson has discussed with staff at school in the open office area her personal sexual acts. Not once but many times.”
• “In a meeting with (Green) and another staff member Principal Thomson used a water bottle to demonstrate how she had demonstrated to a special education student the act of masturbation.”
• “Principal Thomson was taking notes for another administrator dealing with a staff member concerning a discipline issue. Principal Thomson has broken confidentiality when she shared with other staff members the sexual acts in a tavern restroom that were brought to light in the meeting.”
• “Principal Thomson has humiliated special education students to their face and to other staff members.”
Green replied in a Dec. 22 letter to Maier, saying he doesn’t have “sufficient reliable information to believe Thomson is not of good moral character or has committed an act of unprofessional conduct based solely on the conclusory allegations in your letter. However, the District will investigate these allegations.”
During an interview, Maier said Thomson once told a teacher she was going to purchase alcohol on school time for a party.
“Another time she told a staff member that she was going to buy porn for her husband’s birthday because he enjoys it so much,” Maier said. “I’ve done this for a long time, and I think this is about the worst case I’ve ever seen of a principal not being a professional.”
