At a special meeting Thursday, the Bandon School Board placed Superintendent Shauna Schmerer on paid administrative leave while a third-party investigator looks into complaints against her, including alleged intimidation, retaliation and dishonest communication.
The recording of the meeting seemed to include part of the board's executive session.
Chair Troy Russell appeared to be discussing the investigation.
"To a person, they said that the stories you've heard about a toxic workplace are absolutely true," he said.
Another board member asked who, and how many, had made those statements. Russell responded that five staff members had said that.
That portion of the video was later removed from YouTube.
Neither Schmerer nor the board responded to a request for comment.
Russell said the decision to place Schmerer on leave was not intended as punishment but to protect the investigation.
"To ensure that there is no interference with the investigation and no retaliation against participants in the investigation, as well as to protect the superintendent in this process, the superintendent should be placed on leave," Vice Chair A.J. Kimball said while reading from a prepared statement.
Schmerer, who has already resigned, will remain on leave until her contract expires or the investigation concludes, whichever comes first.
Russell said the investigation is expected to conclude within a few weeks but may continue into July if investigator Keith Ussery's planned travel delays completion of the report.
The district's director of programs, Sabrina Belletti, was named acting superintendent.
At a Monday meeting, the board is scheduled to discuss qualities and qualifications of an interim superintendent, approve a salary range for the position and finalize a search calendar.
The board voted in January to hire Ussery to look into a series of complaints. One was filed by former employees against Schmerer, alleging a hostile work environment and intimidation. Another was filed by the teachers union against Schmerer, alleging retaliation as well as dishonest and manipulative communication.
Schmerer, who has served as superintendent for five years, said at a meeting in February that she has faced slander and abuse.
"I am a human being, and the way that I have been treated... I have sat up here and have been professional every meeting, listening to people that I work with, parents that have never even spoke one word to me, to attack me, to bully me, to intimidate me," she said.
The board has also dismissed some complaints that were filed against board members and the superintendent.
Meanwhile, the board has two vacant seats due to resignations and is scheduled to fill them at the Monday meeting.
The district is also awaiting a decision in an unfair labor practices complaint filed by the teachers union. A hearing with the state Employment Relations Board concluded in February.
