By PETER DAY
Senior Reporter
JOHNSON VALLEY • For the third month in a row, tensions were high as Dawn Turnbull butted heads with other members of the Lucerne Valley Unified School District’s governing board.
By the end of Wednesday’s meeting at the Johnson Valley Community Center, Turnbull was reprimanded by Board President Jim Harvey for what Harvey characterized as inappropriate posts on her personal Facebook page and refusing to participate as a team member and move past a long-held personal grudge against the school district.
Turnbull responded Wednesday by blaming district officials for not dealing with several personal complaints regarding her childrens’ school, expressing frustration with a personal health insurance coverage issue, and bringing up a previous incident with longtime school board member Tom Courtney that Turnbull characterized as “sexual harassment.”
But Harvey said it was inappropriate for Turnbull as an elected school board member to air her personal complaints publicly in that fashion.
“We as board members are held to higher standards,” Harvey said of Turnbull’s social media post.
According to Harvey, Turnbull’s post also included allegations that the school board had violated the Brown Act, which is designed to ensure meetings among elected officials do not occur behind closed doors except in certain cases, and that board members just show up for their stipend.
“I don’t believe a (Facebook) post like this is consistent with our bylaws,” Harvey said.
Taking each point step-by-step, Harvey asked Turnbull for clarification of her post. He also refuted each of Turnbull’s assertions.
"I felt good that Dawn acknowledged that there was not Brown Act violation," he said later in the week.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATION
Turnbull also talked about an incident in a meeting about five years ago when she and Courtney were meeting with former LVUSD Superintendent Mike Noga. She said that after the meeting to discuss school sports and other topics she and Courtney had a cordial hug and Courtney “patted me on the a—.”
Courtney quickly responded, “It was a mistake that I apologized immediately for.”
Turnbull then alleged that Courtney had said, “‘Them is the kind of sports I like.’”
“That is a lie!” Courtney said emphatically. “It’s a pure lie!”
Harvey was downcast following the argument between Courtney and Turnbull.
“We have a disconnect on our board,” Harvey said. “It’s so disheartening. We need to come together for the community.”
LIST OF COMPLAINTS
During the board member comment period at December’s monthly school board meeting, Turnbull discussed a list of personal complaints against the school district.
Turnbull said board members previously were given the chance to either take a health insurance package worth $12,500 or elect not to and receive a check for $2,800.
She said she repeatedly asked for her check but didn't receive an answer. Finally, she said, a business administrator told her there was a policy change and no check would be given to board members who elect not to signup for the district' health care package. So she asked to take the insurance package instead was told it was too late to enroll. Eventually she called Anthem and arranged to receive health insurance through the district, Turnbull said.
Another point on Turnbull's list was regarding Supt. Suzette Davis' alleged congenial interaction on Facebook with Turnbull's estranged husband girlfriend, a parent volunteer at a local school.
Turnbull also was upset about alleged mishandling of money her daughters had in their possession to purchase school yearbooks. "For four years I've been trying to get information on the $60 ($20 apiece)," she said.
Turnbull said her daughters told her that the school didn't give yearbooks to the girls, instead the school took their money and "put it on our lunch accounts."
"I want a print out of their records," Turnbull said.
A data analyst for the Oro Grande Elementary School District, Turnbull also criticized the district's handling of the district's implementation of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program.
After Turnbull's comments at the December meeting, Courtney criticized Turnbull for bringing up personal issues as a board member.
At the February school board meeting, Turnbull stormed out, inadvertently knocking a chair loudly, after Harvey began discussing the importance of giving itself an evaluation and then asking Courtney to give his input.
For the final item on Wednesday, the board voted 3-2 to remove Turnbull as the board’s representative to the six-member Mitsubishi Cement Corporation Educational Foundation board. The board decision also included a change to bring the MCCEF appointment in line with other board appointments, which occur annually. Turnbull had served on the MCCEF board for four years.
"I think we should change it," Courtney said. "I'd like to give more board members a chance."
Turnbull responded, "I show up to those meetings. I enjoy those meetings. I have no reason to want to be off the (foundation) board."
Harvey, Courtney and Jodi Collingham voted for the change and to name Courtney to the foundation board. Turnbull and new board member Carmen Fox voted against the item.
Following the meeting later on Wednesday night, Turnbull posted a comment on her Facebook page regarding the meeting. The post apparently alluded to Courtney, who she referred to as "the old man," and again mentioned the alleged sexual assault incident. A post commenter asked Turnbull if she wanted him "to hurt him" followed by exchange between the two.
On Friday, Harvey called Turnbull's post and subsequent comments "an egregious breach of protocol."
Audio of the school board meetings is available at https://lucernevalleyusd.org/board-of-trustees/media