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Parents and residents press for accountability; recall effort, forensic-audit requests and allegations aired at board meeting
Summary
Multiple public speakers called for accountability for the district's financial and personnel matters, announced a recall effort for two board members, and requested a forensic audit and outside investigations; board and staff urged appropriate reporting channels for personnel allegations.
A series of emotional public comments at the May 28 St. Helens School District 502 board meeting brought allegations about internal incidents, calls for a forensic audit of district finances, and an organized recall effort for two sitting board members.
A resident identified in the public record as Aventurine told the board she had learned of an incident in a McBride Elementary life-skills classroom in November 2024 and alleged the event involved a staff member and a nonverbal student. Aventurine said she believed the matter had "been swept under the rug" and urged administrative action. The board chair and staff responded during public comment that personnel matters are not resolved in open session and that allegations of possible abuse should be reported to law enforcement or the Oregon Department of Human Services so appropriate investigators can act.
Another speaker, who identified herself as leading a recall committee, announced an effort to gather signatures to recall two board members, Bill Amos and Melody Killens, and said the group planned to collect roughly 2,000 signatures by July 16. The speaker described the recall as a response to perceived failures of the board.
Other public speakers asked why the district had a standard financial audit rather than a forensic audit and said transparency around a significant year-to-year decline in fund balances and large overexpenditures justified deeper scrutiny. One speaker asked for clarity about whether staff or district leaders had been held accountable for financial decisions that led to layoffs and program reductions.
Interim Superintendent Dr. Karen Gray reminded the audience that personnel allegations should be directed to DHS or law enforcement for investigation and said the district would not deliberate personnel actions in public board session. Chair Matthew Douglas and other board members reiterated the same procedural limits.
Why it matters: Public allegations about student safety and a concerted recall drive are politically consequential and raise procedural questions about how the district responds to personnel complaints, how financial oversight is performed and which investigatory channels the public should use.
