Traverse City school officials have cleared the superintendent of allegations of illegal gender discrimination.
The board of Traverse City Area Public Schools voted unanimously Monday night to accept the findings made in an investigative report. In March, the board hired a firm to look into claims that Superintendent Paul Soma bullied female principals.
Board president Erik Falconer says the district has taken a positive step.
“I think this report gives us the ability to move forward and to move on,” says Falconer, “knowing that we have issues that we still need to work through, but knowing that the people who are here can continue to move forward.”
The report has not been released to the public yet and won’t be until Friday.
The allegations were compiled in a letter sent in February by the union representing the district’s principals, called the Traverse City Administrators Association.
The union’s president, Ryan Schrock, says he’s not surprised by the findings, but their concerns are about leadership – not legality.
“It’s been a tough year for us,” says Schrock. “But I’m confident in our principals and the leadership in our buildings as we continue to work through all of these concerns in a very collegial manner.”