Marian Kim Phelps, superintendent of San Diego’s Poway Unified School District, who was sued by a parent in 2023, has been dismissed.
“The Poway Unified School Board voted unanimously on April 30 to fire Superintendent Marian Kim Phelps, effective immediately,” reported the San Diego Union-Tribune on April 30. The board convened in a regular meeting that day and decided to terminate Phelps after a month-long investigation into the allegations.
In November 2023, a student’s parent filed a lawsuit against Phelps due to her behavior toward students. By February, the Poway Unified School District had placed Phelps on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The parent alleged that Phelps had threatened teammates at a softball banquet last May because her daughter did not receive as much applause as other players when she was awarded.
Following the parent’s allegations, an investigation was initiated into Del Norte High School’s softball program, uncovering accusations that Phelps harassed players after the end-of-season awards banquet last May. The San Diego Tribune reported, “They (Poway Unified students) alleged she (Phelps) tried to get team members to admit that they had conspired not to applaud Jessica. For example, they have accused her of texting and calling another player late on the night of the banquet.”
Phelps, a Korean American, had previously been appointed as the first minority superintendent of the Westminster School District in 2013.
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM, JUNHAN PARK [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
