School superintendent is fired ‘after threatening children who she thought didn’t clap loudly enough for her daughter at sports’ banquet’

A school principal has been fired after a campaign of intimidation against girls who she says did not cheer her daughter on enough.

Marian Kim Phelps was unanimously fired this week by the Poway Unified School District board after it “lost confidence in her abilities.”

Phelps’ vendetta against 10 softball players on her daughter’s team in the 36,000-student school district north of San Diego began nearly a year ago.

But it wasn’t until players, parents and coaches raised the issue with the board on November 9 that an investigation began that lasted until April 18.

“The investigation uncovered previously unknown evidence with witnesses with direct, first-hand knowledge that contradicted Dr. Phelps to the board, district staff and the public,” the board statement said.

Her daughter Jessica Phelps was named the most valuable player on a Del Norte High School softball team during an end-of-season banquet on May 30 last year.

Phelps felt some of her teammates didn’t show enough enthusiasm for Jessica’s award, and applauded louder for other girls receiving awards.

She responded by texting one of them later that evening and spoke on the phone for over half an hour in an attempt to prove there was a conspiracy against Jessica.

A screenshot showed Phelps contacted the student at 11:04 p.m. and asked, “Can I call you now?”

The student answers, “Yes!”

When Phelps didn’t get the admission she wanted, she launched a months-long investigation into the ten girls and threatened to ban them from their own graduation.

One of the students sued in November, accusing Phelps of waging a campaign of punishment and intimidation against her and her teammates.

Her lawsuit in San Diego County Superior Court alleged intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, negligence in properly training county employees and a violation of her First Amendment rights.

She claimed that Phelps’ investigation ended with her being forced to admit to bullying Jessica, or being banished from the team and graduating herself.

The girl refused and was told by Del Norte’s principal that she would be excluded from all extracurricular activities because she had not signed an “Other Means of Correction” document, according to correspondence included in the lawsuit.

The document promised that she would not engage in “bullying, intimidation, intimidation, threats and derogatory statements,” even though she never did so.

The student claimed she ultimately signed the document against her will so she could rejoin the softball team for her senior year.

Her lawsuit also alleged that Phelps followed social media accounts of private softball teams the girl also played for, which Phelps later blocked.

During the Nov. 9 meeting, senior shortstop Miranda Mosqueda stood up, supported by six teammates, and demanded the board intervene.

She said Phelps “made life hell for 10 seniors and threatened to ban them from their own graduation if they didn’t admit to doing something they didn’t do.”

“She used her power and influence to bully our students and essentially disrupt our softball program,” she said.

“Many of us are afraid to play our year for fear of being harassed and intimidated.”

Former Del Norte softball coach Tom Peronto said he complained to the board about Phelps’ “unlawful” investigation, but it was ignored.

“As coaches presenting the awards, we had the best view of the evening’s events. Yet not a single coach was consulted regarding the events of that evening,” he said.

He claimed that when Phelps found out, she made false accusations about him and tried to get him fired from the team.

Two parents and another coach from the team also spoke out in support of the ten students and demanded that the board finally take action.

An outside law firm was retained and Phelps was suspended in February over what the board said was a “sensitive issue” in the investigation.

The firm, Dannis Woliver Kelley, investigated the conduct of district employees, students, administrators and the superintendent.

Phelps claimed her daughter was bullied by another Del Norte High student, but denied threatening other students.

“I have never, ever made threats toward any student or attempted to prevent them from graduating,” she said in a statement in November.

But parents and students were appalled by Phelps’ behavior and staged protests at board meetings with signs reading “clapping is a freedom of speech” and “stop the abuse of power.”

Ted Buchen, a parent of a Del Norte High student, shared NBC News he was “relieved” that Phelps had been placed on leave.

“We’ve been to four or five board meetings with several people in the community,” Buchen said. “We have sent multiple text messages and emails to real board members.

“More than 100 pages of evidence were provided to the board members, and none of it seemed to move the needle.

“So many families were cutting their necks and going to board meetings and risking vilification in the community because their kids didn’t play softball, whatever it may be.

‘And the board initially didn’t listen to my opinion.’

Rachell Babler, another parent, agreed with Buchen that the board was slow to act.

“I think it’s a step in the right direction, but I have questions about why now because the board has had evidence for months,” she said.

Alan Stockton, head coach of the Del Norte High junior varsity softball team for 13 years, shared The San Diego Union Tribune that paid leave is ‘a good start’.

“I don’t know why it took them so long to come to this conclusion,” he said. ‘This has been going on for seven or eight months now.

“I’m happy that the girls will hopefully see what they stood up for come to justice.

“They are the ones most affected by all of this.”