Trio of complaints against Board Chair Wright dismissed at meeting; board hears update on North Medford High gymnasium

Medford School Board and audience members Thursday echoed a shared desire for the district to refocus on the needs of students and to move on from months of complaint processes and back-and-forth vitriol.

The two-and-a-half hour meeting at Oakdale Middle School, with nearly 100 in attendance, began with recognition of recent state placers for a Future Health Professionals State Leadership Conference and wrestling state championships.

The remainder of the meeting focused on budget issues due in part to declining enrollment, and the dismissal of a trio of complaints filed against Board Chair Cynthia Wright, all of which were dismissed Thursday without further action to be taken.

The first of the complaints — in which board member Michael Williams alleged the board chair threatened retaliation and attempted to pressure him to resign, among other claims — was dismissed with unanimous board approval, including by Williams.

The complaint stemmed from various exchanges between Wright and Williams, who made headlines last year after speaking out on the reassignment of Medford police School Resource Officer Josh Doney. Subsequent months were marked by a series of complaints between Williams, other board members and staff.

District Superintendent Bret Champion and district staff filed a complaint against Williams over an Oct. 15 meeting at district offices, where Champion and staff said an exchange between the two men escalated, and they felt uncomfortable with Williams wearing a work tool belt containing a pair of shears and a knife — part of his work as an agricultural inspector.

An investigation by Oregon State Police, after receiving information from the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office, found that charges against Williams were unwarranted.

In a previous complaint examined by a third-party investigator, claims by Medford School District Director of Security and Safety Ron Havniear centered around a March 12, 2024, exchange. Havniear said Williams violated district policy by harassing and bullying him and stepped outside his board member role by intervening in district administration. The investigation substantiated Havniear’s complaint resulting in a board censure of Williams and restrictions put in place regarding Williams’ visits to schools and district offices.

Board members previously substantiated portions of William’s complaints against Wright, who acknowledged she could have chosen different words in an exchange with Williams. 

Two new complaints reviewed Thursday included one from South Medford High School teacher Paul Cynar and the other by community member Russ Kautz. Cynar’s complaint centered around an email he received from Wright in response to Cynar’s statements during a February board meeting, where he asserted the board had behaved in a racist manner regarding Williams.

Board legal counsel Thad Pauck reviewed Cynar’s complaint, including that Cynar’s right to participate in a public process despite being a district employee had been obstructed. Pauck said it had not.

Williams said Thursday he was uninterested in a continued focus on complaints and told the board, “There’s a certain perception within the community based on the interactions and the events that have taken place at this table.”

Williams said he recently made a decision to withdraw a number of new complaints, “even though I felt like I wasn’t being treated fairly,” after receiving a letter from student Spencer Carroll, president of the Black Student Union for North Medford High School.

Carroll’s letter thanked Williams for attending a recent Black youth leadership summit and stated, “I would like to say that I, as a person of color, have your back. I watched the board meeting, and I feel that the board treats you differently based on the color of your skin, and I am sorry. As a Southern Oregon native, we are not all like this.”

Williams told fellow board members, “What I’m telling you is that children are watching and they’re seeing that, too.”

“I don’t know — and I really don’t care — what you guys feel about this complaint, the previous one or the one after,” he added. “Whatever we have to do to get through this complaint, let’s do it.”

Board member and vice chair Kendell Ferguson briefly alleged that Williams helped write Cynar’s complaint, which he denied. The board ultimately decided Thursday that Cynar’s complaint, available on the district website, was unsubstantiated.

A third complaint — in which community member Russ Kautz said Wright violated state meeting laws by contacting board members prior to a March 6 board work session — was also dismissed after Pauck explained that Kautz’s complaint — available online — stemmed from a misunderstanding of state meeting laws.

Pauck said Wright’s contact with board members was of a factual nature and she did not violate any laws.

Ferguson said she did not believe a violation took place but suggested additional board training on meeting laws, while board member Jeff Kinsella said he was “getting sick and tired of all these complaints wasting our time” and the perception that the board was not focused on students.

Board member Michelle Atkinson urged the board to “lead with as much kindness as we can” and to not to take their eyes “off the ball.” She said, “We are held to a high standard, and people are watching.”

Citizen comment

During citizen comments, more than a half-dozen audience members spoke, most of whom echoed a desire for improved communication and a focus on student academics and safety.

“This past year has been filled with complex and often conflicting narratives, making it challenging to determine this best path forward,” district parent Corbi Lima said.

Julie Brooksby voiced disappointment in Champion’s resignation announcement in late February, where he said “adult-centered” issues had become a district distraction. Brooksby said she hoped board members could “put aside your own personal agendas and look for a superintendent that will bring opportunities to our students as Dr. Champion has done.”

Deputy Superintendent Jeanne Grazioli has been named as Champion’s interim replacement after he is scheduled to leave his post in late June.

District resident Mindy Wamack told the board “the only way trust is restored is through accountability and or taking responsibility” and that she hoped “the new board will hold a new superintendent accountable.”

Wamack expressed concern with Grazioli’s salary package, particularly with the amount of benefits beyond the base salary, but she noted it was only because of her concerns as a taxpayer and not a reflection on Grazioli. 

Board members approved the contract. It includes an annual base pay of $245,000 plus benefits, according to board documents. The benefits include health insurance, PERS and retirement, a technology stipend, vacation, personal, bereavement and sick leave, and a monthly travel allowance. Wright said the package was at the low end of 10 districts that the board examined, which ranged from $245,000 to $270,000, and she said Grazioli was “agreeable” to the offer.

Gymnasium update

During an update of the North Medford High gymnasium collapse, for which demolition began March 11, district facilities manager Andy Chasteen said the district was working to determine a type of temporary structure, for indoor practices and warmup space for athletics programs.
He said the district would also discuss whether funds allocated or the temporary structure could be put toward a permanent facility, which he said both North and South Medford high schools had long needed for student athletes, in particular during inclement weather.

Chasteen said a live feed has been posted to the district FAQ page, on which the ongoing demolition could be viewed.

A video recording of Thursday’s meeting can be reviewed online.

Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 458-488-2029 or bpollock@rv-times.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal.