Chester school officials release report detailing employee claims against ex-superintendent

Nearly a week after accepting Agnes Slayman’s resignation as district leader and approving a $300,000 payout, the Chester County school district Board of Trustees released the 10-page investigative report that accuses the former superintendent of threatening and bullying her staff.

Last Thursday, just hours before Slayman and the school board negotiated the terms of releasing her from her district contract, The Herald obtained and exclusively reported some details from the investigative report. The newspaper had asked the district for the report on Sept. 8. But, details of the investigation and employee claims came to light after two confidential sources provided The Herald with a copy of the report last week.

Read the report here.

Chester officials provided a copy of the report earlier today and redacted the names of those employees who have lodged complaints against Slayman.

The Herald reported earlier this month that Chester school board trustees commissioned the investigation and hired consultant Betty Bagley – a former public school superintendent and current college instructor – to interview Slayman and some on her staff. Before retiring as Anderson County school District Five superintendent, Bagley was named superintendent of the year for South Carolina. Since then, she’s remained an advocate for education across the state, including working with Transform SC, an organization affiliated with the state Chamber of Commerce.

Bagley is not the Chester city councilwoman by the same name.

Bagley writes in her report that more than half of the Chester district’s senior staff sought medical attention for stress-related health issues and depression while employed in a “hostile work environment.” Employees allege, according to Bagley’s report, that Slayman made “threatening remarks,” including telling a staff member, “I will kill you,” and “will cut your legs off.”

Another employee told Bagley that Slayman has “good ideas” but implements plans in an effort to be “the first to do something without fully investigating.”

The former superintendent was placed on leave during Bagley’s investigative in late August and early September, officials have said.

Slayman resigned last Thursday from Chester County schools after almost four years on the job. The school board plans to meet tonight to talk in private with attorneys about employee complaints and the former superintendent’s contract.

Slayaman will draw two year’s pay and keep district benefits until January, the board has said.

Slayman’s attorney has defended her record as a longtime educator and district administrator, saying Slayman never seriously threatened anyone and he has questioned the validity of the investigative report.

Following her resignation last week, some board members applauded Slayman’s work for the district.

Check heraldonline.com for details from tonight’s board meeting.

This story was originally published September 30, 2015 at 4:13 PM with the headline "Chester school officials release report detailing employee claims against ex-superintendent."