The August 29th Special Meeting: A Turning Point in Bremerton School District
On August 29, 2024, the Bremerton School Board held a special meeting to take action on the unilateral termination of Dr. James Crawford's contract as superintendent of the school district. This session marked the culmination of a prolonged period of secrecy and mismanaged community engagement, where the board finally released the two long-awaited investigation reports. In a move that appeared more about optics than transparency, they invited public comment, something unprecedented in their special meetings, seemingly hoping to embarrass any speakers before gloating with the post-meeting release of the reports. Pressed by a timeline due to a community-led lawsuit, the board ended this chapter with a unanimous vote to terminate Dr. Crawford's employment, but the concerns that led to this point continue to resonate within the community.
A Damning Report, a Flawed Process
The investigation reports released by the board painted Dr. Crawford as a paranoid loose cannon, accused of being abusive to employees and intruding into emails. This characterization, constructed by investigators contracted by the board itself, raises serious questions about the intent behind the investigation. While the board had the authority to conduct these actions more privately back in June, they chose a path that appeared designed to publicly ruin Dr. Crawford's reputation. What's more troubling is that Dr. Crawford was given no chance to respond to the investigations, clarify the points identified, or exercise his right to due process before the board took action. He read the investigation report at the same time as the rest of the public, an unfair and inappropriate handling of an employment issue that the board has pretended to manage with policy and professionalism.
Conflicts of Interest: The Spark of Friction
During board comment, Director John Hurley stated that they first became concerned about Crawford reading their emails in December last year, when it appeared James was intruding into their interactions with the district, including parent teacher conferences. This is not true, or a distortion of the facts, to fit a narrative Hurley and the board wish for the public to understand.
We have suspected that the friction between the board and Dr. Crawford began on December 14, 2023. This surrounded events where the board failed to disclose their many conflicts of interest when explicitly asked by Crawford in a public board meeting, where he was required by policy to query the board. In that meeting, no board member responded to having a conflict of interest.
Alyson Rotter has MANY conflicts, including income producing, present and past relationships with the Kitsap Community Foundation, Kitsap Strong, Kitsap Community Resources, Olympic College, and her role on the Bremerton School Board. John Hurley is employed by Kitsap Community Resources, who leases property from the school district and had recently defaulted on lease payments. Hurley was also the president of the Bremerton Soccer Club, which uses school facilities and a lacrosse coach who petitioned for upgrades to sports fields. Carolyn Perkins has always failed to disclose her position with Kitsap Community Resources, where she currently serves as the President of the Board.
On December 15, 2023 after failing to disclose their conflicts of interest the prior evening, Dr. Crawford imposed controls to manage their interactions with district employees where they would have conflicts. He mandated that he be copied on emails and attend meetings where board members were present, in order to manage their undisclosed conflicts of interest, of which he and they, were aware.
In email exchanges on December 15, 2023 Rotter and Hurley admit to theirs, and others, conflicts of interest in email exchanges with Crawford. They took exception to his new controls and demanded change, pleading for "trust." If the two of them operated with integrity, they had the opportunity to demonstrate that integrity the night before, and failed.
The Culture of Retaliation and Secrecy
Throughout this process, many teachers have disclosed a culture of punishment and retaliation within the district for those who challenge authority. This toxic environment is something Dr. Crawford sought to change, and it’s reasonable to believe that his efforts led to increased paranoia and suspicion about board behavior and intent. The board, with its history of masking actions from the public, seemed poised to take unusual steps to punish the superintendent. Indeed, some board members had even warned Dr. Crawford about others who were "out to get him."
Theatrics and Malice in the Final Meeting
During the August 29th meeting, board members, including Karen Bolton and John Hurley, put on a show of feigned hardship and heartbreak in making their decision. Bolton, losing professional composure, shouted at attendees, while Hurley spoken in saddened tones, distorting the facts to fit the narrative the board wished the public to believe. Furthermore, Bolton accused community leaders of reaching out to her for updates, though comments from leaders suggest she initiated some of that contact herself in an effort to defame Dr. Crawford.
The meeting also saw Rotter supporters in the audience who attempted to physically intimidate community members in attendance, necessitating security escorts for some attendees. Hurley, who expressed difficulty in the decision, posted a, now deleted, gleeful comment on Facebook the next morning, "The house always looks so much cleaner after you get all the trash out. #springcleaning," revealing the malicious intent behind his actions.
Moving Forward: A Call for Continued Vigilance
Dr. Crawford is now gone, but the concerns about this school board remain. While the board may have accomplished their objective, the community is left questioning the quality of education, the transparency of our elected officials, and the support for our educators. The culture of professionalism within the district is in question, and as a community, we must continue to investigate and hold our elected officials accountable. Our youth and our community deserve better, and it is our responsibility to ensure that our school district operates in the best interest of all.