Marsh madness

The job of the popular—and controversial—principal of Marsh Junior High School is in jeopardy in a move he is calling a vendetta by a superintendent jealous of his successes.

In a statement faxed from Marsh on Gator letterhead, Principal Jeff Sloan’s attorney, Paul Minasian, said Marsh is “under attack” by school district Superintendent Scott Brown, who seeks to “harass and embarrass” Sloan and his staff, charging improper accounting procedures.

“We think that this attack is a result of the astounding success the school has had despite Superintendent Brown’s constant undermining and attempt to intimidate and threaten the staff and teachers of the school,” the letter to parents and the media reads. Brown sees the school’s high test scores and energized students and parents as “a threat to him,” the letter stated.

Parents are already organizing a protest and planned to speak at the March 17 Chico Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting.

The News & Review learned over the weekend that both Sloan and Assistant Principal Frank Thompson were given notices of potential layoff or reassignment, but this week administrators were tight-lipped.

Brown said the “pink slips,” which trustees apparently signed off on after being given few details in a closed session on March 3, had to be delivered by March 15 in the event that the district—with the school board’s final approval—decided to let an administrator go.

Brown confirmed that Sloan and Thompson were the only administrators in the district to get notices, and it wasn’t for budgetary reasons.

“There is an ongoing review of issues at Marsh, and a decision can’t be made until everyone’s due-process rights have been respected,” Brown said. “Obviously, there’s an issue that we’re looking at that we think is related to the administration of the school.”

The attorney’s letter said the issue is the management of school accounts by a clerk who works half-time at both Marsh and Chico Junior High. Apparently, the handling of money raised by students and parents through fund-raisers is at issue. Minasian wrote that even though the accounts are audited annually by Matson & Isom and Marsh was never told it was doing anything wrong, the district employed an “expensive consultant” to audit only Marsh.

CUSD Assistant Superintendent Randy Meeker said the district would provide the News & Review with a copy of the audit as required by the California Public Records Act, but it could take up to the allowed 10 days to do so.

Sources told the News & Review that Sloan and Thompson were presented with a report and given 10 days to respond to what’s in it.

District officials removed a computer from Sloan’s office. Minasian said that once the audit and district letter regarding it is out before the public, it will be clear that no money is even suspected to be missing or misappropriated. “They try to create illusions that there’s some sort of failure to keep monies in the proper account,” he said, and that’s not the case.

Brown and Sloan have long had an antagonistic relationship. Both are opinionated men in positions of power. Sloan likes to do things his own way, but his methods often work.

The matter may go well beyond the Marsh campus, as CUSD trustees are reportedly not on the same page regarding Brown’s move. Minasian’s letter questions the role of the Board of Trustees, wondering how it could have legally discussed “discharge or demotion” without notifying the affected employee.

Marsh office staff, including the account clerk, said they’d been advised not to comment.