Survivors accuse trustee of past misconduct; board hears calls for investigation

Several people addressed the Adelanto Elementary School District board on Aug. 12 to say they were survivors of alleged misconduct by a district trustee who previously worked as a substitute teacher. A speaker identifying herself as a survivor told the board she was 11 when the trustee was her substitute and described grooming and predatory conduct, and she urged the board to remove him and institute a trained investigation.

Former trustee Christine Turner separately urged Superintendent Walker to conduct a thorough investigation into allegations that had been raised at a prior meeting and stressed the district’s duty to prioritize student safety and mandated reporting. "As mandated reporters, it is crucial that we treat all allegations with the utmost seriousness," Turner said.

Michael Krauss spoke later in the meeting as a private citizen and denied the allegations. He said his legal team has been in contact with multiple agencies, including Child Protective Services, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice, and he asked the board to afford him due process. "We will continue cooperating, and I ask for due process," Krauss said.

Board members did not report a removal or suspension action in open session at the meeting. The board recessed to closed session for several items and later reported that it had granted two ADTA grievances in closed session; the public allegations against the trustee were recorded in open session public comment but no investigatory findings were announced during the meeting.

Next steps: Survivors asked the board to pursue a trained investigation and consider removal; the board has not announced a public investigation outcome at this meeting, and the trustee said outside investigative bodies had been contacted.