The Poway Unified School Board voted to terminate Superintendent Marian Kim Phelps. The termination comes after an investigation into accusations that Phelps bullied Del Norte High School students.
Associate Superintendent Greg Mizel will continue as interim superintendent during the transition.
The school said their investigation into Phelps revealed evidence that contradicted Phelps’ statements and assertions to the board, district staff, and the public.
“The Board has lost all confidence and trust in Dr. Phelps’ ability to continue to serve as superintendent, as well as in her ability to continue to work collaboratively with the Board as part of Poway Unified’s governance team,” a statement from the board read.
Phelps and the students' interactions began at a softball awards banquet last year.
Court documents say Phelps was “seemingly disgruntled” because she felt her daughter “did not receive loud enough applause compared to other players accepting awards. She apparently felt others were obligated to clap more enthusiastically for her daughter.”
One senior and her family filed a lawsuit against the school board and Phelps, accusing Phelps of retaliating against the student.
Though the student — known as “Jane Doe” in the lawsuit because she’s a minor — subsequently apologized for what Phelps perceived as a slight against her daughter, the lawsuit says Phelps ordered school personnel to investigate the incident at the softball banquet as a case of bullying. The lawsuit says Doe and her family were told they needed to sign a statement acknowledging the attempt to bully Phelps’ daughter. They didn’t.
The lawsuit says after that, Phelps intimidated Doe and other softball players. It says she retaliated by harassing and threatening Doe.
At the Nov. 9, 2023 meeting of the Poway School Board, Phelps was accused of bullying and with some speakers recommending that she resign. The school board launched an investigation later that month.
The inquiry concluded April 18 after interviews with 41 witnesses.
The board said no other details will be provided at this time because the investigation involves students and personnel.
Phelps previously told our media partner ABC 10 News that she did nothing wrong.
