ONLY ON ABC-7: Former superintendent attacks board member in state complaint
In a seven-page complaint to the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office, the former superintendent for Las Cruces Public Schools called for the state to investigate a board member’s alleged abuse of power.
“(Maria) Flores has continued to repeatedly interfere with the operations and management of the District,” wrote Superintendent Dr. Greg Ewing, who resigned from the district last month.
In his resignation later, Dr. Ewing asked for two years’ compensation to drop a potential lawsuit alleging a hostile work environment.
“Flores has created a hostile work environment by discussing my sexual orientation with me and others,” Dr. Ewing wrote. “(She) repeatedly (made) comments and (gossiped) to others about my sexual orientation.”
In June, Dr. Ewing wrote that Flores accused him of sleeping with a staff member in the district, which he denied.
“Flores said that my alleged sexual relationship with a male subordinate employee (which is false), was creating issues for the District,” Dr. Ewing wrote, adding “If Flores had a legitimate concern about my having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a subordinate, she should have followed District policy and procedures to report her concern and request an investigation.”
The former superintendent also accused the board member of using a personal email and cell phone to conduct professional business in the district.
“Flores continues to engage in this practice and has told me that she does not trust the ‘system’ having access to her ‘private conversations’ about District business,” Dr. Ewing wrote.
In the letter, he said he intends to submit a formal charge of discrimination and retaliation with both the New Mexico Human Rights Division and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
He also accused her of violating the Open Meetings Act and the Inspection of Public Records Act.
In a brief conversation on Friday morning, Flores declined to comment on the specifics of the allegations in the letter. However, she told ABC-7 that the letter did not accurately characterize her professional relationship with the former superintendent.
Dr. Ewing’s complaint with N.M. Secretary of State by Katie Bieri on Scribd
KVIA 2019
