ALSEA, Ore. – A lawsuit claims that the Alsea school district’s former superintendent created a hostile work environment through gender discrimination, harassment, and general misogyny.
According to the Albany Democrat-Herald, Marc Thielman, who resigned in February following several complaints against him, was accused of sexual harassment throughout Shanon Rice’s employment with the rural, west Oregon school district.
Rice, Alsea Elementary school principal, filed the suit against the school district in Benton County Circuit Court last Wednesday. Thielman is not listed as a defendant in this lawsuit. District officials were not available for comment.
Thielman is running as a Republican for Oregon governor.
The legal complaint claims that he talked about his genitalia, sexual life almost daily, and frequently used sexual innuendos, and made sexually suggestive remarks about women’s bodies. The lawsuit stated that Rice would take a mental break whenever Thielman directed a conversation towards sex.
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The suit alleges that district officials assisted him by consistently disregarding concerns and complaining and then retaliated towards Rice by not renewing Rice’s contract, effectively terminating Rice as a result.
Rice is seeking $3.7 million from the District for the alleged hostile workplace, sexual harassment, discrimination, and whistleblower retaliation.
Thielman made waves when he announced in January that, at his direction the school board had passed resolution to give local control back to the board and to make indoor masking optional during COVID-19.
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