Benton County School of the Arts Settles Harassment Allegations

Paul Hines
Paul Hines

— A principal's complaints of sexual and racial harassment by the Benton County School of the Arts superintendent were settled quietly last month.

Settlement terms and email documenting the discussion were released Monday through a Freedom of Information Act request.

AT A GLANCE

Benton County School Of The Arts

Benton County School of the Arts is an open enrollment charter school operating independently of area school districts. The school has an arts-focused mission and enrolls children from Rogers and surrounding school districts. Both the kindergarten through eighth-grade campus and the high school are under the guidance of a seven-member board elected by school patrons.

Source: Staff Report

The School Board agreed to pay Julia Rice, former principal of the school's kindergarten through eighth-grade campus, $35,000 in compensation plus the remainder of her contracted salary, according to the documents. Rice alleged Paul Hines, superintendent, created a hostile work environment through sexual harassment. The settlement amount was negotiated from an initial request of $70,000. Rice's contract carried a base salary of $71,114.

Rice made a formal complaint to the board via email Nov. 11. She didn't return to school the next day. Parents were told she was on a leave of absence. Hines has served as principal in the interim.

The charter school's board voted Feb. 11 on the terms of the settlement, according to an email from Hines to the school's attorney, George Spence.

A Nov. 12 email to board members from Mike Rice, Julia Rice's husband, attached a list of grievances his wife wrote against Hines and the school.

Julia Rice, who identifies herself as American Indian, wrote Hines called her an "Injun who can't hold her firewater" in both private and public and told her "you need to shake your boobs at the state board so they will renew our charter." Rice said she faced a general lack of respect and repeated threats of being fired and listed other administrative complaints, including hiring, budgeting and number of hours worked.

An email from attorney Charles Kester, who represented Rice, said hostility against Rice intensified after she spoke with Alicia Knotts, a board member, and with Wes Abbott, board president, in February 2013 and after she confronted Hines in July 2013.

Abbott said Tuesday he wouldn't comment about the situation. The agreement includes a clause preventing any party from talking about the matter.

Rice, who started at the school in 2011, wrote she wanted to continue as principal.

"I don't think anyone on the board would want to work in these types of conditions, and I have faith that the board will address my concerns," she wrote.

Rice's complaint also said Hines boasted people who filed grievances against him were fired. He referred to two women who are no longer employed by the school. The women's contracts weren't renewed after their job descriptions as district treasurer and administrative data reporter were rewritten, according to 2012 minutes from the school.

Rice, contacted Tuesday, said she was "unable to discuss this matter with anyone per the agreement with BCSA."

Kester, Rice's attorney, died March 3. He handled Rice's case and no one was available to comment, a secretary in his office said Tuesday.

Rice submitted her resignation letter Feb. 14 and effective June 30. She and her husband signed the agreement Feb. 20. An email from Hines dated Feb. 18 indicates he would mail final copies to the school attorney.

An additional Freedom of Information Act request for the final, unredacted agreement was filed Tuesday.

Hines said Tuesday he couldn't comment about the agreement.

George Spence, attorney for Benton County School of the Arts, said Tuesday he couldn't comment on the agreement itself, but it's complete. The school will move past the situation, Spence said.

"I think a lot of people have had good experiences with Dr. Hines. He's still there," Spence said.

Before the school released documents, Spence requested and received an attorney general's opinion that stated, while the documents were part of personnel records, the public's right to know outweighed right to privacy.

NW News on 03/26/2014

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