Faculty member urges board to investigate alleged harassment by district administrators

Hillary Batty, who identified herself as both a faculty member and a concerned community member, used the public comment period to urge the Oakdale Joint Unified School District board to investigate alleged unprofessional conduct by district office administrators.

Batty told trustees that, since October 2024, she and her staff have experienced repeated harassment, bullying and intimidation by administrators she named as Jose Sanchez and Armita Cologne. She alleged confidential human-resources matters had been conducted visibly in the Oasis classroom ‘‘in full view of multiple staff members’’ and, she asserted, in front of students enrolled in the Oasis program.

"When that trust is broken, whether through misconduct, unprofessional actions, or failure to uphold ethical standards, it not only harms individuals, but also undermines the integrity of our entire school system," Batty said. She asked the board to conduct a thorough investigation, listen to those affected and adopt clear policies to hold administrators accountable.

The board acknowledged the comment as part of the public-comment record. The transcript does not record an immediate response from the named administrators during the meeting nor any board motion to launch an investigation at that time. The comment therefore stands as an unresolved request for action in the public record.

Batty framed her remarks as a matter of student and staff safety and requested transparent investigations and accountability. The board agenda proceeded to consent and other action items after public comment.