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Former and current Queen Creek teachers tell board of retaliation and intimidation; one seeks release from contract payment
Summary
Two speakers used the public-comment period to raise personnel grievances: a former employee asked to be released from a contract repayment of $1,851.22 citing retaliation against her daughter; a current teacher said she was demoted to developmental status after being treated as a threat.
During the board’s call to public, two speakers raised personnel and personnel-process concerns and asked the board to intervene or clarify district actions. The board reminded attendees at the start of call to public that, pursuant to ARS 38-431.01(H), board members may not discuss items not specifically identified on the agenda and that the board’s response to public comment is limited to directing staff to study the matter, responding to criticism or scheduling it for a future agenda.
Renee Lemons, who said she worked for the district for nine years and is no longer an employee, told the board she signed a contract and then sought to rescind it after she felt her daughter had been retaliated against. Lemons said she had been told by district staff that she would be released from the contract but later received an email saying she must pay $1,851.22. "So I'm asking today that I be released of that, due to the fact I am not an employee with you guys anymore," Lemons said, and added she received an email saying the district would take legal action if payment was not made by the 12th.
Anne Cope, who said she has worked in the district for 18 years, described a sequence of personnel actions that she characterized as intimidation and unjust disciplinary moves, including being put on "developmental status" after years rated effective or highly effective. Cope said she was removed from class on multiple occasions after complaints she characterized as false and that the treatment hurt students due to lost instructional time. "When teachers are intimidated and silenced or driven out, students are the ones who lose," Cope said, and added she intends this to be her final year because she finds the atmosphere untenable.
During the public-comment item a board member asked for an update and clarification on Cope’s situation; the transcript records the question but does not record a staff response during the public comment block. No formal board action to resolve either speaker’s requests was recorded during the meeting segment provided.
