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Teachers and parents allege prolonged harassment, turnover at Bentley Elementary; board promises follow‑up
Summary
Current and former Bentley Elementary staff and parents told the board about alleged harassment and intimidation by a school administrator, describing high staff turnover, medical leaves and lost instructional continuity; the administration said it will follow up.
Multiple speakers at the May 20 citizen‑comment period accused Bentley Elementary’s administration of persistent harassment, intimidation and actions they say led to high staff turnover and damaged student instruction. The board said the administration will follow up with those who raised concerns.
Several former and current Bentley staff spoke during the meeting. Michelle West, a 29‑year teacher at Bentley, said 15 staff members left the school in the last two years and that seven teachers took medical leaves mid‑year. “We believe we were targeted, bullied by a person who habitually sought to intimidate us,” she told the board, and said many teachers retired early or resigned because of the workplace environment.
Julie Milo said she was forced to resign and recounted incidents she described as disciplinary meetings that left teachers “humiliated” and fearful of retaliation. Another speaker, Nicole McGinn, read a letter from a Bentley parent who said her child’s teacher left mid‑year and that the family currently has no certified teacher in the classroom; the parent urged the board to look at patterns of complaints.
Why it matters: The speakers said staff departures and extended absences disrupted instruction for students. Several speakers said Human Resources and the teachers’ union did not adequately address their complaints.
District response and next steps: Vice President Anupam Sidhu told speakers that the administration would follow up after the meeting. Dr. Merritt said district staff would address comments that require follow‑up. Board policy limits public‑comment responses during meetings, and staff said they will investigate and follow up with individuals after the meeting.
Ending: Speakers asked the board to hold leadership accountable and to ensure that human‑resource and union processes protect staff and students. The board did not take immediate action during the meeting but asked the administration to follow up.
