Teachers say 'no confidence' in Pioneer superintendent

A majority of teachers in the Pioneer School District have given a vote of "no confidence" to Superintendent Jill Diehl, and have asked her to resign.

The Pioneer Education Association submitted the letter to the Pioneer School Board at its Dec. 14 meeting. In the letter, the group states that if Diehl does not resign, the board should ask her to do so.

"We all believe these problems directly stem from an inability or unwillingness of the Superintendent to provide effective, competent, compassionate and trustworthy leadership for the District," the letter states. "These problems have had a corrosive effect on staff morale and fostered a climate of fear, anxiety and uncertainty."

Diehl has been the superintendent for a year and a half after replacing John Gummel.

Diehl did not respond to the Journal's requests to comment.

The Pioneer School Board next meets for a study session on Jan. 11, and at its regular meeting Jan. 25.

At a boisterous meeting Dec. 14 in the Pioneer Middle School library, teachers one by one stepped up to the microphone to express their concerns about Diehl during the public comment period at the end of the meeting. Each had three minutes, so they took turns reading the anonymous comments from colleagues and to recite the three-page letter to the board.

The introduction to the letter states, "Efforts to bring these issue to the attention of the Board have been routinely met with resistance or been undermined through information suppression, covert intimidation ad parliamentary maneuvering."

In the letter, the Pioneer Education Association writes that Diehl "has created an increasingly toxic, fearful and hostile work environment."

Staff members said they have experienced, and/or know someone, who has experienced Diehl being "bullying, intimidating and demeaning" in interactions with staff and community members; disrespecting staff members who are trying to solve problems; denying requests for due process representation during one-on-one sessions with Diehl; and asking the school nurse to "subvert protocols" regarding COVID. The nurse resigned.

The union also claims Diehl failed to follow the bargaining agreement on fully staffing school positions such as librarians and alternate learning locations; failed to staff buildings adequately, leading to buildings not being cleaned appropriately during the pandemic; infringing on contractually required teacher preparation time and conferring time with parents and students; and understaffing the front offices, leading to health and safety risks.

The union also claims Diehl directed a building administrator and staff member to report to work while living with COVID-positive people or having COVID, in violation of health standards.

The PEA states that it conducted a survey of 38 union members between Dec. 6 and 9. The responses were on a four-point scale, with 1 being "strongly disagree" and 4 being "strongly agree."

In the survey, 37 out of 38 stated they agree or strongly agree that they feel supported by other teachers and paraeducators at their schools.

But asked if they trust the district administration, 33 said they strongly disagree and 3 said they disagree. No one said the strongly agree they trust the administration.

Because the presentation was not on the agenda and was delivered during public comments, the school board members were not allowed to answer questions.