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Resident accuses Lebanon board of ‘corruption’ over handling of daughter’s bullying; board members say concerns taken seriously
Summary
At the Sept. 16 Lebanon City Schools board meeting, resident Juan Gonzalez accused district administrators and some board members of mishandling a bullying incident involving his daughter and called the board 'corrupt.' A newly seated board member and other officials said they take the claims seriously and that investigations have occurred; no formal board action was taken.
A Lebanon resident used the board’s public-comment period on Sept. 16 to renew accusations that district leaders and some board members mishandled a bullying case involving his daughter, calling the board “corrupt” and urging the community to demand accountability.
Juan Gonzalez of 6 Oakwood Avenue told the board he had received a letter from an investigator and said the district’s response to his daughter’s bullying was inconsistent. “I got a letter from him after the complaints of years that his findings were that his administration followed protocol with all of the incidents and reports of my daughter being bullied,” Gonzalez said, later adding, “We need to clear this board and start fresh.”
Gonzalez alleged the district delayed or only belatedly changed locker assignments after his daughter suffered a beating on video and a concussion. He urged community members to ask board members directly whether they would ‘bet their seat’ that particular statements had not been made, and said he had obtained video through a public-records request.
A newly seated board member, who spoke during the public-comment response period but was not identified by name in the transcript, said the board members have reviewed the matter and described district leadership as professionals. “I can tell you as a non biased person new to evaluate that this is a group of professionals that are do the right thing kind of people, and an investigation has taken place,” the board member said, adding that they take the resident’s concerns seriously.
Superintendent Mister Severs and other board members did not make a new formal finding on the record during public comment; the meeting moved on after time limits were reached. Board members repeatedly said they would continue to take the concerns seriously and indicated they had already reviewed or conducted an investigation, but no formal motion to open a new independent inquiry or to refer the matter to an outside investigator was made during the meeting.
What happened next: The public comment period concluded after the time limit and the agenda proceeded to the superintendent’s report. The board did not vote on any action in response to the allegations during the Sept. 16 meeting.
Context and what’s next: Public commenters sometimes use the board’s five-minute comment window to raise grievances that may overlap with personnel or student-discipline matters that are protected by privacy rules. Board members said during the exchange that they had looked into the underlying complaints; community members seeking a formal independent review would need to request that as a distinct agenda item or through the district’s formal complaint procedures.
