Medford, Ore. – The Medford School Board remains embroiled in controversy following a series of complaints, apologies, and accusations of unfair treatment among board members. The February 22nd meeting saw Board Member Jeff Kinsella publicly apologize after an outburst during a previous meeting, while fellow Board Member Michael Williams filed additional complaints against Board Chair Cynthia Wright and Superintendent Bret Champion.
The tensions began during the January 23rd school board meeting when Nathanial Swan, a parent previously escorted out of a December meeting, raised concerns about Director of Security Ron Havniear. Board Chair Cynthia Wright quickly interrupted Swan’s comments, citing board policy that prohibits addressing staff directly during public comment. In the midst of this, Kinsella was heard muttering an expletive directed at Swan, saying, “Go f*** yourself.”
Swan, along with his wife Taryne Saunders, filed complaints against Kinsella, accusing him of violating the board’s Standards of Conduct. On Thursday night, Kinsella took the opportunity to publicly apologize for his words, acknowledging that he had “fallen below the standard” he set for himself. He promised to keep his microphone off in future meetings, though no formal restrictions were placed on him after the board voted to censure him until the end of his term.
However, the Medford Education Association’s Grievance Chair, Paul Cynar, expressed concern over the differing treatment of Kinsella and Williams. Cynar pointed out that while Kinsella received censure, Williams had been subject to multiple complaints, including allegations of violations of school board policy, without similar accountability. Cynar criticized the board for what he saw as an inconsistent approach to discipline, calling it “very telling” of how the board handles conflicts.
Williams, who has faced restrictions after several complaints—one from Havniear and another from Champion and district staff—filed two new complaints during the meeting. His grievance against Wright claimed she had violated multiple board policies, including those on Board Member Authority, Standards of Conduct, and Retaliation and Intimidation, by allegedly pressuring him to resign. He also raised concerns over Wright’s suggestion that he meet with Cynthia Richardson, the Board Chair of the Salem-Keizer School District, for better guidance on his role. Williams said Wright’s comment, suggesting he meet with Richardson because “she’s black,” felt “weird” to him.
In response, Wright denied any intentions to humiliate or degrade Williams, maintaining that her actions were never about retaliation. Despite this, the board found that Wright had violated board policy BBF for failing to treat Williams with respect in public messaging, particularly in a statement made on January 23.
Williams also filed a complaint against Superintendent Champion, alleging intimidation and retaliation. However, the board dismissed all complaints against Champion, concluding that they were unsubstantiated.
Williams expressed frustration with the ongoing restrictions placed on him and the lack of accountability for others. “The only thing I was asking for was for someone else to take responsibility for their actions in all of this,” he said. “You don’t want me fully represented as a whole person and whole board member.” Williams also called for reconciliation and a fair path forward.
Wright, addressing Williams’ concerns, stated, “If you didn’t want those restrictions, you should have not violated the policy. We are going to review them at the next board retreat, but it will depend on your attitude.”
Cynar, during public comment, took the opportunity to voice his strong opinions, accusing the board of racial bias. “I believe you are being racist,” Cynar said bluntly. “When people I know sit and watch the board meetings and watch you call out a person on this board who clearly looks different, they mention to me ‘does anybody else realize he’s the only black person in the room?’”
The board meeting ended on a tense note, with Williams and Havniear exchanging heated words before the superintendent left the room.
As the board moves forward, the next steps regarding the complaints against Wright will be discussed at the upcoming meeting. With tensions high, the board faces an uphill battle in navigating internal conflicts and addressing the underlying issues that have surfaced in recent weeks.