Assistant principal case could be nearing end

Rylee had been placed on leave with pay for allegedly forcing the students to drink from a water fountain from which a substance was poured into. There was a question as to whether the substance may have been urine although recent test results showed there was no bacteria in the samples tested, an attorney for the school system said.

Rylee was placed on leave from May 16-June 2. She has since returned to work although with the school year over, she has had an overall light work schedule, her attorney Michael Daniel said.

Superintendent Chris Erwin said Monday he did not foresee action being taken before the July BOE meetings. The board is scheduled to hold a work session July 17 and a regular meeting July21.

“Although I am not a chemist, it is my understanding that the district has been informed that these results establish that there is no evidence of any contaminants and that the water in all samples tested from all fountains tested is perfected safe to drink,” said school board attorney Phil Hartley.

Chan Caudell, who is representing several parents of fifth grade students who were allegedly involved in the incident, said the parents still have questions.

“The parents and I would certainly hope that a school administrator would not knowingly force a child to drink from a contaminated water fountain,” Caudell said. “My clients have not alleged that their children actually drank from a contaminated water fountain. We are concerned about the contamination, but will let the test results, if scientifically viable, speak for themselves.”

Caudell also expressed concerned that it took so long to get the test results back. He filed an open record request with the school system on June 19 for any test results but was told there were none. When the results were released they were dated June 5.

Erwin said PathCon Laboratories failed to send the test results to the school system after they were completed in early June and that he has all “documentation to substantiate this.”

The parents also allege that their children were told not to talk of the incident by Rylee or law enforcement and the Department of Family and Children Services would be contacted.

“An equally disturbing issue concerns the obvious mind game that was played by a school administrator on a group of elementary school children,” Caudell said. “We know for a fact that at least some of these boys knew the vice principal was concerned about urine in the water fountain before she forced them to drink from it. These same children had no idea the fountain had been cleaned, if in fact it was. We believe the Banks County superintendent and the Board of Education are aware of the children’s knowledge due to statements that were given by the children.”

The parents have requested Rylee be relieved of her duties within the school system. Rylee has been an assistant principal for the past two years and an educator within the system for the last 13 years.