4J Search for Interim Superintendent

Superintendent and School District 4J to part ways following March 6 School Board Meeting

The District 4J school board and superintendent Andy Dey jointly announced the decision to part ways at the end of this school year. The board is now searching for an interim superintendent to take over when Dey leaves on June 30.

The board’s decision happened after Dey came under investigation for alleged retaliation against a female employee, use of bullying tactics, and a later allegation that he kissed a teacher on the cheek without her consent. Moving swiftly to manage the transition, the board held a public hearing on March 13 to learn what community members hope to see in 4J’s next leader and plans to begin interviews the week of Monday, March 18.

Following a lengthy executive session on March 6, the school board voted unanimously not to renew Dey’s contract for the 2024-2025 school year. Board chair Maya Rabasa read aloud a statement detailing the separation. 

“Superintendent Dey and members of this board have carefully considered present circumstances, and it’s our mutual and considered decision to separate at this time,” she said. “As district leaders we will continue to work towards accountability, effective leadership, and community engagement to live up to the expectations of our students, staff, and community.”

Dey was hired as the superintendent in 2022, in a split 4-3 vote by the school board. The school board now has only two of the seven members who were present for the 2022 superintendent search, Judy Newman and Maya Rabasa.

Controversy accompanied Dey’s hiring from the beginning, with allegations of bullying tactics used toward female employees. Despite these issues, the board selected Dey, but the allegations contributed to the divide in the decision.

In 2024, the Eugene Weekly brought to light more allegations against Dey. Following the Axe Hall of Fame event on Feb. 24, the Eugene Weekly reported on another allegation that Dey had greeted a teacher at the event by kissing her on the cheek without her consent. 

After Dey’s contract was not renewed, the teacher went public with her experience. On March 14, South science teacher Julie Stewart published a guest viewpoint in the Eugene Weekly titled “Holding Leaders Accountable: A statement from the teacher who filed a complaint with 4J against superintendent Andy Dey.”

In the Weekly’s article, Stewart explained how small but repeated misconduct grows into bigger problems, contributing to the prevalence of sexual assault in society.

“It needs to change, and change starts with holding people accountable any time they violate boundaries. To be clear, I do not consider what Dey did to me to be sexual assault. But combating the pervasiveness of sexual assault doesn’t just involve prosecuting rapists. It involves changing the cultural expectation that men are entitled to touch women’s bodies,” she wrote.

Stewart taught at South when Dey was principal, and described their relationship as “adversarial.” So when Dey greeted her at Friends of South’s Hall of Fame event in February with a kiss on the cheek, she was shocked. She wrote that, given their history, she would never have consented “to even shaking Dey’s hand, much less being kissed by him.” Stewart provided additional personal context that explained how the episode was traumatic for her.

Despite this criticism, Stewart explained that she doesn’t “believe that Dey necessarily had ill intent when he kissed me.” Nonetheless, she emphasized that “it is not intent, but impact that matters.”

Stewart interpreted the board’s non-renewal of Dey’s employment in 4J as a moment of accountability, thanking the board “for holding Dey accountable by not renewing his contract.”

Now the 4J school board is tasked with stabilizing the district by finding an interim superintendent who can help 4J move forward. In an interview with The Axe, Maya Rabasa spoke about the process going forward.

Rabasa shared that in a special meeting on Monday, March 11, the board voted to approve a list of “desired qualifications and characteristics for the Interim Superintendent,” which are included in the 4J job posting for interim superintendent. The eight-point list focuses on candidates’ experience, values, and communication skills, as well as the ability to work with “many important community partners” and “help with healing.”

On March 13, the board held a public hearing to give community members a chance to weigh in on what they wanted the search for the interim to take into consideration.

Themes brought up throughout the hearing were honesty, trust, and respect, and many speakers shared their concerns and said that they wanted a focus on the needs of students, staff and community.

Lisa Jenkins-Easton, a staff member at Sheldon High School and parent of three kids in 4J, spoke about the importance of valuing classified staff in the district. 

4J teacher Elizabeth Martinez spoke about systemic problems she sees in the district that often start at the top. “What’s accepted at the top trickles down,” she said. Martinez shared that it is important that the district find someone who can model the behavior we want to see in students, and to find “someone who treats everyone with dignity and respect.”

Imelda Rodriguez De La Cruz, a teacher at Kelly Middle School, said she would like to see an interim superintendent who will build relationships, be present in classrooms, and bring people together. Rodriquez De La Cruz hopes to find someone who has a strong focus on equity, and understands the importance of building support for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

4J teacher Selena Frazier shared her thoughts on what is needed for future leadership. She said the interim superintendent should be someone focused on listening to students and the community, retaining staff of color, and building trust among students, staff, and the community.

Rabasa told the speakers that though the list for the job posting had already been established, the board would “use this input for future steps,” giving the example of the interviews the board will conduct next week. 

Students are impacted by everything that goes on higher up in the district. From the schedule to the curriculum used, every day is impacted by the superintendent and the board’s decisions. To stay updated and informed, read the South newsletters and keep up with local news such as the Eugene Weekly who broke the story with the University of Oregon’s Catalyst Journalism Project, and The Register Guard, KLCC and KEZI, among others.

Article by Aria Lynn-Skov