Principal, three teachers resign from OKC district

A principal at one school and three teachers at another have resigned amid investigations by Oklahoma City Public Schools.

Douglass Mid-High School Principal Andrew Pearson resigned Monday, district officials said.

Pearson was suspended with pay last month after allegations surfaced that he violated “board policy and/or regulations.”

Pearson’s resignation is effective July 15. He will remain on paid suspension.

Communications Director Beth Harrison would not disclose the nature of the allegations against Pearson, who was named Douglass principal in June 2015.

“Because this is a personnel issue, we cannot provide any further comment at this time,” Harrison said. The district “will now begin the search for a new principal at Douglass Mid-High School.”

Attempts to reach Pearson on Monday were unsuccessful.

A letter sent home with Douglass students characterized the investigation as “routine” and identified Assistant Principal Thomas McNeely as “point of contact for any school-related needs.”

A separate investigation, meanwhile, resulted in the resignations of three teachers at Greystone Elementary School.

Superintendent Aurora Lora disclosed the resignations to board members, principals and other district leaders in her weekly update of May 30.

“As is typical with the end of the school year, the HR team was particularly busy this past week with multiple internal investigations regarding staff members exhibiting questionable conduct,” Lora stated.

“Three staff members resigned at Greystone Elementary during the course of investigations into their interactions with students. These three most likely would have been recommended for termination to the board.”

Harrison declined to identify the staffers or the allegations. She said the district promptly investigated the concerns raised at Greystone Elementary and took appropriate steps to address them.

“Because this deals with confidential personnel matters and because the investigations are ongoing, OKCPS cannot comment at this time,” she said.

Harrison pointed out that Lora’s weekly updates are considered “confidential” and “this information was never intended for public consumption.”