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School board authorizes Harmon Claytor to probe personnel conduct, directs full access
Summary
The Albemarle County School Board voted 7-0 at a special meeting Aug. 4 to engage law firm Harmon Claytor for an independent investigation into recent personnel issues and division policies on alleged inappropriate staff conduct.
The Albemarle County School Board voted unanimously to engage the law firm Harmon Claytor to conduct a "thorough independent investigation" into recent personnel issues and the division's policies and practices concerning allegations of inappropriate conduct by staff.
"I move that the school board direct the division superintendent and chief legal officer to engage the law firm of Harmon Claytor to conduct a thorough independent investigation of recent personnel issues and the division's policies and practices concerning the response to allegations of inappropriate conduct by staff," said Jason Grant, chief communication officer, when presenting the motion. He added that the firm should be "afforded access to all documents, data, witnesses, and other evidence" necessary for the review.
Board members urged the investigation be timely and comprehensive. Bob Beard, Samuel Miller District, said the board wants "a thorough, timely, and robust investigation" with full access to facts so "our kids at ACPS are safe always." Another member proposed creating an independent inspector-general type role for annual review in addition to the current inquiry.
The motion directed the chief legal officer to ensure Harmon Claytor can access documents and witnesses and to share the firm's findings with the school board "at the earliest possible date." The board also committed to periodic updates on the investigation's progress, with immediate action to address any urgent safety insights.
The motion passed 7-0 on an immediate vote; the board recorded a roll-call affirmation. The board indicated the investigation will examine whether reporting pipelines functioned, whether concerns were aggregated to detect patterns, and what visibility existed above the building level so concerns reach decision-makers.
The vote follows a closed-session consultation with legal counsel authorized under the code cited at the meeting; the board returned to public session to take the vote and to direct the independent probe. No timeline for the firm's final report was specified beyond periodic 60-day updates to the board.
