Parent alleges discrimination at Cloverdale High School

CLOVERDALE -- A parent’s comment brought a point of controversy to an otherwise normal agenda on Monday during the regular February meeting of the Cloverdale School Board.

Hal Salsbury approached the board with a complaint that “injustices” and discrimination were influencing decisions made by administration at Cloverdale High School. Salsbury more specifically pointed to a disciplinary action taken by CHS Assistant Principal Brent Sailor against his daughter, who is a student at the high school.

“I have a daughter who was punished unjustly because of bigotry against students regarding gender affiliations,” Salsbury said at the meeting. He also made an allegation of discrimination against students who are monitored by the Department of Child Services (DCS), but did not expand further into this claim.

Salsbury conveyed that he had consulted with Cloverdale Superintendent Greg Linton about the situation, as well as contacted legal counsel, which then asked him to address the school board. Salsbury also invoked CHS Principal Sonny Stoltz, saying that he had unfairly not considered overruling Sailor’s decision.

Salsbury finally called for the board to investigate the incident, as well as to investigate Sailor’s intent with regard to the punishment. Salsbury did not clarify the punishment his daughter received in his complaint to the board.

Before she adjourned the meeting, Board President Vivian Whitaker thanked Salsbury and his wife for attending the meeting and voicing their concerns publicly.

“I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Salsbury for coming to the meeting, and we will take this under consideration as we move forward,” Whitaker concluded.

When asked for further clarification on the issue Tuesday morning, Stoltz was adamant to the Banner Graphic that discrimination with regard to gender had not, and would not have, guided Sailor’s disciplinary action against the student. Rather, he suggested that the punishment followed the school’s written guidelines.

“It’s a discipline issue,” Stoltz said. “There was no intent to disregard what was done, and we believe that we handled this appropriately. I can’t overturn (Sailor’s) decision when he does what he is supposed to do, and he made the right decision.”

When asked Tuesday morning about the parent’s comment, Linton also told the Banner Graphic that the punishment followed the school’s stated policies, and that Sailor’s decision was looked into and supported by Stoltz.

“We have followed our discipline guidelines,” he said, “and it’s unfortunate that the student finds herself in this position, but this was not discriminatory.”

Linton also related that the incident’s details cannot be conveyed due to privacy issues accompanying disciplinary action, which cannot be discussed in a public forum.

Addressing the only non-routine agenda item during Monday’s meeting, the board approved the move of eight inactive accounts to a student activities account at Cloverdale Elementary School.

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• Resignations: Melinda Allen, high school math teacher; Kami Hyde, high school guidance counselor; Lisa Nally, high school media center supervisor; and Sam Brown, Cloverdale Middle School cross country coach and high school assistant baseball coach.

• Hire: Dave Zorman, high school head varsity football coach and high school media supervisor.

The board also recognized Cloverdale Schools’ Students of the Month for February. Second-grader Luke Billings represented Cloverdale Elementary School, sixth-grader Elianna Boyd came from Cloverdale Middle School, and Harley Pellam was selected from Cloverdale High School.

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled for March 11 at 7 p.m. in the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Center near Cloverdale High School.