Following Superintendent Dr. Marian Kim Phelps’ paid administrative leave, which started Feb. 1, Associate Superintendent of Student Support Services Greg Mizel was appointed as the Poway Unified School District (PUSD) interim superintendent, Feb. 8.
Phelps’ leave was announced amidst an investigation over alleged bullying towards Phelps’ daughter in her varsity softball team at Del Norte High School. According to a statement currently posted on the school board’s website, Phelps was put on paid leave while the investigation is still ongoing “in an effort to avoid distraction and to ensure continued focus on the district’s business and commitment to serving our students and community.”
The alleged incident regarding Phelps’ daughter’s softball team began in 2022, when Phelps alleges her daughter, J.P., was being bullied by another Del Norte softball player, Jane Doe*. According to the electronic version of the complaint filed to the Superior Court of California by Doe, J.P. and Doe have competed for the same position of pitcher on the varsity team since 2021. J.P. admitted she “hated” Doe when they were freshmen, though now states that their relationship is amicable. Doe alleged that J.P. would ignore her throughout freshman year.
According to the complaint, at the end-of-year softball team banquet, May 30, Phelps claims that the team communicated with each other and agreed to not clap for J.P. when she won the team’s Most Valuable Player Award.
The night after the banquet, the complaint states that Phelps privately contacted several of J.P.’s teammates, including a teammate identified as M.A. who was a minor at the time. Phelps texted and called M.A. starting at 11:04 p.m. and allegedly accused “M.A. of telling a different story, and reiterates earlier threats of discipline against the various softball players.” Phelps did not obtain permission from M.A.’s parents to speak with M.A.. Throughout the duration of her contact, the complaint detailed that Phelps allegedly tried to get M.A. to admit the team had conspired not to clap for J.P., stated Doe was undeserving of her Defensive Player of the Year Award, and threatened to use her “power” to take away Doe’s co-captain position in the upcoming season. The complaint also states that Phelps threatened to have Doe transferred out of Del Norte High School for her senior year and said she would ensure Doe would have a “lonely year.” M.A. denied all allegations that the team had conspired against J.P..
Phelps then, in the complaint’s verbiage, “instituted, controlled, and orchestrated an illegitimate and biased internal ‘investigation.’” Doe and her parents were allegedly forced to sign a “Other Means of Correction Contract” within 16 hours and 30 minutes of receiving the contract. The complaint states that the contract caused Doe to be prohibited from participating in athletics, clubs, activities, school dances, and graduation.
Doe filed for an appeal for the investigation, to which the complaint states that PUSD implied there was no need for as no formal disciplinary action was taken against Doe.
On Nov. 27, Doe filed the complaint, as previously referenced, against Phelps, which contains 12 separate charges — one of the primary charges being the harassment she faced after the banquet. The other charges range from violation of the First Amendment to violations of the California Education Code that are specific to Phelp’s role as superintendent.
As of Feb. 12, PUSD has not commented on when they foresee the case coming to a close and have not stated whether or not Phelps will be returning as superintendent.
