FAYETTEVILLE -- An employee filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on May 25 against the Fayetteville Public School District and School Board based on the handling of sexual harassment claims against Superintendent Matthew Wendt, according to a press release from the employee's lawyer.
The EEOC did not respond to multiple calls today to verify the complaint was filed. The lawyer for the school board would not confirm Thursday she had received notification of the complaint.
It has been three months since the employee's lawyer Suzanne Clark informed School Board President Justin Eichmann of her client's sexual harassment claims against Wendt. Clark presented Chris Lawson, district general counsel, on March 15 with voice recordings of Wendt and copies of text messages between her client and Wendt that support her client's complaint, Clark said in the press release.
Wendt denied sexual harassment allegations in a statement by his lawyer, Elizabeth Robben Murray, on April 6.
Wendt agreed to take paid administrative leave April 7, Eichmann said.
The Fayetteville School Board has scheduled a special meeting to hold a public hearing on a personnel matter at 5 p.m. Monday.
Susan Kendall, the board's outside counsel, said the board cannot comment on who the personnel hearing is about before the hearing takes place.
The hearing is to allow Wendt to make his case before the board, according to Clark's press release.
Clark's press release says her client's complaint to the federal agency details Wendt's abusive conduct at work after the woman refused to continue to have sex with him.
NW News on 06/14/2018