Employees criticize findings of Antioch Unified’s workplace bullying investigation – NBC Bay Area

In a letter dated May 14, 2024, Antioch Unified School District (AUSD) Human Resources Director Robert Martinez informed AUSD maintenance worker Jim Kesser that he had investigated Kesser’s original bullying complaint against Director of Maintenance, Operations and Facilities Ken Turnage.

Kesser had reported to human resources that Turnage “harassed, bullied, intimidated and humiliated” him in January 2023 when Turnage directed other employees to move his desk to a rooftop. The public display included a ladder and a hand-painted sign that read “Kesser’s Access.”

“Ken rules by bullying and intimidating people. And he was waiting for the opportunity to get revenge on me – to send a message to everyone else while I was away,” Kesser told the Investigative Unit in a recent interview.

Kesser said he and Turnage had argued about his job duties and the desk incident was public retaliation. However, AUSD’s human resources department disagreed.

According to the letter, Martinez concluded that Turnage’s motives were to “lighten the mood … and make people laugh” and that Turnage did not act in “bad faith.” Martinez said he concluded that Turnage’s actions were neither “a violation of board policy nor the law.”

“I completely disagree,” said Kesser.

Kesser and three other AUSD employees told the investigative unit that they were not surprised by the district’s and Martinez’s findings. They also filed bullying and harassment complaints against Turnage and are distrustful of the process.

A report from NBC Bay Area last April said Turnage was receiving preferential treatment from the district because he was close friends with AUSD Superintendent Stephanie Anello and her husband Allan Cantando, the former Antioch police chief. They said the school district looked the other way until NBC Bay Area started asking questions, and finally at a school board meeting in April 2024, where Superintendent Anello remained silent.

A May 14 letter from the human resources department to Kesser said the school district hired outside law firm Dannis, Woliver, Kelley to “review (the district’s) process regarding the investigation.” That review found that “the investigation was accurate.”

“If every request is denied, where do you go? Where do you go if you’re an employee and you have a complaint? You should go to human resources,” Kesser said in response to the company’s findings.

NBC Bay Area reached out to the law firm. An attorney told us the matter was confidential. We contacted Anello and her husband again. Anello responded in an email, saying, “Dannis, Woliver, Kelley is a reputable firm that works with school districts across the state.” She added, “There are several administrative remedies available to the district’s public employees” and the “district encourages them to utilize those remedies.”

Speaking publicly for the first time, recently retired Antioch Unified welder Tom Sellers admits he gave the green light to this so-called desk prank when Turnage went around asking people what they thought about him putting Kesser’s desk on a roof. Sellers was the top union official at the time and was eventually punished by the union for his involvement.

“I apologized to Jim. I told him I was sorry,” Sellers said. “Why did I find it funny? Well, I certainly don’t find it funny anymore.”

Sellers said he believed the county’s investigation was too narrow and officials did not interview enough people.

“It’s like a double standard,” he said. “(Turnage) can do and say whatever he wants, but if we do that, we’ll be held accountable, disciplined or fired.”

Superintendent Anello has been on medical leave since NBC Bay Area’s report in April. Human resources director Martinez is now acting superintendent. He told NBC Bay Area, “While it may appear to some complainants that their complaints were not effectively addressed, these employees are not informed of the specific consequences or disciplinary action that could be imposed on other employees…”

Kesser said the lack of clarity frustrated him as he has asked the district for more information.

“I spoke to four different people in HR and every one of them said, ‘Well, we’re not going to go back in time. Let’s just focus on this. And if you want, file a formal complaint.’ Why would I file another complaint? The biggest complaint, the most glaring one, is right in front of you and it’s being rejected!” he said.

Turnage has not responded to NBC Bay Area’s requests for comment. He is currently on leave, as is customary, as the district investigates at least two other bullying complaints against him.

The Antioch Unified School District determined that the incident when its supervisor placed its employee’s desk on a roof was “a prank” to “lighten the mood.” Employees disagree. Candice Nguyen has more to report.

To catch up on all of NBC Bay Area’s exclusive coverage of this scandal: www.nbcbayarea.com/bullyingcase