Antioch Unified School District’s superintendent is working with board trustees on her exit plan from the district, NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit has confirmed through multiple sources with knowledge of the discussions.
Stephanie Anello currently earns $353,045 annually, according to her contract the Investigative Unit obtained through a public records request. The discussions between Anello and board trustees likely include whether she will receive a payout of that salary.
Superintendent Anello faces mounting pressure to step down as more teachers, parents and community members say they have lost faith in her leadership. The ongoing boss ‘bully’ scandal, in which she is involved, remains unresolved more than a year a half later. Anello is accused of failing to properly discipline an accused serial bully because the two are close, personal friends.
“Please consider allowing Anello not to return,” said AUSD parents Celia Owens at an August 7 board meeting.
Superintendent Anello has been out of the office since April and has been on medical leave or partial medical leave since May.
In an August 12 letter to staff, district officials said Superintendent Anello has once again been placed on medical leave, and “In the best interest of students, staff, and the community, she will be working with the Governing Board Members on a transition plan.”
“The fact that this has gone on publicly for over a year and hasn’t been resolved is ridiculous,” said President of Antioch Education Association Bob Carson at the same board meeting. AEA represents 800 Antioch teachers and staff across the school district.
Carson is the latest voice criticizing Anello and some AUSD board members on how they are handling employee bullying complaints against district maintenance director Ken Turnage.
“The leaders of AUSD, the board members [who] have not said Turnage needs to go…it’s awful,” Carson said.
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In April, the Investigative Unit first reported on employee complaints filed against Turnage. We showed photos of a maintenance worker’s desk after it was placed on a roof. That worker told the district Turnage, who is his supervisor, instructed other employees to move his desk to the roof with a forklift after the two had an argument.
The school district determined the incident was not bullying and called it a prank. The employee told NBC Bay Area he ended up in the emergency room with panic attacks and was placed on medical leave for stress.
“I’ve talked to a lot of people in my job from all over the district. Everyone says they believe these people when they say they were bullied. Every one of them,” Carson said. “I have not heard from one person who doesn’t believe them.”
What’s worse, Carson said, is the lack of accountability by AUSD leadership. At least four employees who have filed complaints against Turnage say he’s receiving special treatment because he’s close, personal friends with Superintendent Anello and her husband, Antioch’s former police chief.
“I believe the district would be best served if the superintendent had denounced this bullying and had gotten rid of the person who’s doing the bullying,” Carson said. “She didn’t do that.”
Superintendent Anello has never agreed to speak with the Investigative Unit or respond to the claims. In June, she sent NBC Bay Area an email saying the “District is unable to comment on personnel issues.” This news organization reached out to Anello again by phone and by email asking about her pending departure. She did not answer, and we received an out of office message.
“The community needs to know that there are people on medical leave avoiding accountability,” community advocate Patricia Granados said during public comment.
Ken Turnage remains on administrative leave as the school district investigates additional bullying claims against him. Turnage himself has filed bullying claims against a board member who spokes out against him and some of the people who accused him of bullying. NBC Bay Area has reached out to Turnage about this, but our team has not received a response.
Parents and teachers tell NBC Bay Area this scandal is a deep stain on AUSD that they want resolved so the district can focus on students.
Candice Nguyen is the investigative reporter on this story. To reach her about this report or if you have another investigative tip, email her at candice.nguyen@nbcuni.com. To catch up on all of her reporting on this scandal: nbcbayarea.com/bullyingcase.
