A California school principal has been fired after she was accused of failing to discipline her mid-level boss for allegedly bullying employees with impunity.
School principal Stephanie Anello’s contract was terminated without cause by the Antioch Unified School District on Wednesday after a year-long bullying scandal.
Anello allegedly refused to hold maintenance director Ken Turnage accountable because he is friends with Anello and her husband, according to Allan Cantando, former Antioch police chief.
At least 10 school district employees complained about Turnage after an incident in January 2023, when he ordered two people to use heavy equipment to move employee Jim Kesser’s desk onto a roof, according to reports. NBC Bay Area.
“He literally blew up on me… He went from zero to 100 in five seconds,” Kesser told the local news station.
Stephanie Anello (pictured), principal of the Antioch Unified School District, has been fired for failing to discipline a mid-level boss for allegedly bullying employees
At least 10 school district employees complained after an incident in January 2023, when employee Jim Kesser’s desk was moved to the roof of a building
Kesser said Turnage had his desk moved to the roof in retaliation for correcting him about the responsibilities of his job.
“I initially thought he was bullying me because I had spoken up during a conversation we had a few months earlier where he had asked me to do a job. I said, ‘I’m open to anything you ask me, but I want you to know that I’m not a mechanic or an electrician because you’re new,'” Kesser said.
Photos of the bizarre “prank” show the desk on the roof of the school district’s maintenance building, under an orange tent, with a sign reading “Kesser’s Office” next to a ladder.
“I was literally in the emergency room the next weekend. My wife said you have panic attacks… I thought I was having a heart attack,” Kesser said.
Other employees shared similar experiences of bullying and intimidation at the hands of Turnage.
District officials alleged that maintenance director Ken Turnage (pictured) bullied and intimidated employees
Many employees felt that Turnage (right) got away with the harassment because of his relationship with the director (left) and her husband (center)
According to Bruce Courtemanche, Turnage’s behavior was the reason he retired early.
I said [to Turnage]“I really feel like you don’t respect me”… [Turnage] stomped behind his desk, clenched his fist and said, ‘I have no respect for you. I have no respect for you at all,'” Courtemanche said.
‘[Turnage] “He came at me… I thought he was going to physically attack me,” said Steve Hessler, a carpenter with the Antioch Unified School District.
I asked [Turnage] where I could put my printer, and I was told I could put it on the roof.'[It made me feel] “Small and damaged,” said Kim Atkinson, purchasing technician for the Antioch Unified School District.
The school district investigated the incident with the agency and determined it was a prank and not bullying, but many employees felt Turnage got away with it because of his relationship with the principal and her husband.
“I’ve seen them on the golf course. I play golf. I’ve literally seen him play with Cantando and Stephanie Anello,” Kesser said.
“They go golfing together every weekend,” Atkinson said.
Kesser (pictured) said Turnage had his desk moved to the roof in retaliation for correcting his responsibilities at work.
Turnage was placed on administrative leave in April and Anello went on medical leave in May.
On Wednesday, the school voted to terminate her contract and she will receive nine months of her $353,000 annual salary.
“The board has taken action in closed session to terminate the employment contract with the director with immediate effect and without giving reasons,” said board chairman Antonio Hernandez.
Several employees who had filed complaints attended the meeting and thanked the board for the action taken.
“I can’t thank you enough. If I could stand here for three minutes and say thank you over and over again, I would. You heard us,” Atkinson said.