We travel to Newsom’s sad state of California this morning tale to tell the tale o public school superintendent.

Who is this superintendent and what on earth did she do? Well, you know schools these days take a big stance on bullying. Be a buddy, not a bully, they say. They all claim to dole out “harsh” consequences should someone bully the guy who wants to play on the girls’ volleyball team. So, of course, Poway Unified School District had to do something when parents claimed one of their own was the one doing the bullying.

Without further adieu, we introduce you to Marian Kim-Phelps, a school superintendent who allegedly bullied members of a girl’s high school softball team when they didn’t applaud loud enough for her daughter during a ceremony last year.

Phelps and her daughter ‘J.P.’ became “disgruntled” when the varsity softball player, who was named the team’s most valuable player, didn’t receive loud enough applause compared to other players at a team banquet last May.”-Nicholas McIntyre, The New York Post

And, don’t you know, students and their family members should know better than to piss off their superintendent. Because Phelps did not deem the applause as loud enough, she decided to take matters into her own hands…

Phelps is accused of beginning her “investigation” the night of the banquet by texting and calling a senior varsity member, who was a minor at the time, without permission, with the intent to interrogate her.

The superintendent later allegedly threatened all the senior student-athletes that they’d face not participating in graduation if they didn’t admit to not clapping.

Phelps made threats aimed at the entire senior softball group that either they admit that they orchestrated a conspiracy to not clap for J.P. at the softball banquet or that [she] would ensure that none of the senior softball players would be allowed to walk at graduation.”-Nicholas McIntyre, The New York Post

The applause was not loud enough. Wait just a skinny minute, here. Aren’t the California Comrades (to include liberal school superintendents) opposed to such loud, rowdy behavior such as applause? (This probably explains while most of them don’t attend wrestling tourneys.)

I mean, maybe the teammates were not applauding because of (snort) sensory overload or (double snort) claaaaaapping is raaaaaacist or something. Isn’t snapping the new clapping? Isn’t this what the brainiacs in the rungs of higher learning/education have told us? Clapping is rude. It causes a ruckus! Throw “gendered language” in there and you’ve sent the comrades into a tailspin.

From the lawsuit:

SUPERINTENDENT MARIAN PHELPS has repeatedly exhibited inappropriate interactions with Plaintiff and other students, followed Plaintiff online, and others persistently, and intimidated Plaintiff and other softball student-players. The behaviors exhibited encompass gaslighting, retaliation, harassment, threats, bullying, and intimidation, all aimed at inflicting emotional distress on Plaintiff, and stifling her freedom of speech and expression. These inappropriate actions targeted not only Plaintiff, but also other softball student-players. We are informed and believe that SUPERINTENDENT MARIAN PHELPS’ aggressive behavior is rooted in what she unilaterally perceives to be an intense rivalry between her daughter, J.P., and one of the team’s other pitchers, It appears that SUPERINTENDENT MARIAN PHELPS’ ultimate goal is to hinder Plaintiff from competing for pitching time with her daughter or prevent her from playing on the softball team altogether.”

Back to Marian Kim-Phelps. Oh, excuse me. DOCTOR Marian Kim-Phelps. From her profile:

Dr. Phelps has demonstrated courageous leadership, guiding the Poway Unified School District through fully and safely reopening schools during the pandemic, the implementation of a Racial Equity & Inclusion Plan…”-powayusd.com

Of course, she did. DEI training purchased with COVID funds. But, she is award-winning:

She was recently named the 2021 ‘Exemplary Woman in Education’ by the Association of California School Administrators, selected out of almost 70 outstanding female educators from across the State of California. Phelps was also previously named the 2021 Superintendent of the Year for Region 18 (San Diego and Imperial Counties) by ACSA. Under her leadership, the Poway Unified School District has been awarded two prestigious Golden Bell Awards by the California School Boards Association (CSBA) in the categories of School Culture and Safety (2020) and Special Education (2021).”--powaysd.org

She also writes for The San Diego Tribune:

At our most recent board meeting, a Black parent shared a disturbing account of how his son experienced verbal and physical harassment at Meadowbrook Middle School, including being called the n-word, Black History Month being referred to as Monkey Month, and the pulling and touching of his hair.

These encounters have had extremely negative effects on his child’s self-esteem. He was described as a thriving and gifted student, but due to the racism he has experienced, he no longer enjoys coming to school. This is not acceptable. As educators, we know that if students do not feel safe at school, they are not able to learn to their full potential. My heart breaks for this young student and all students who experience this type of bullying and hate.”-Marian Kim-Phelps, The San Diego Tribune

Verbal harassment. Negative effects on a child’s self-esteem. Unable to learn to their full potential. Her heart breaks for all students who experience this type of bullying and hate.

Don’t dare applaud softly for the Superintendent’s kid, though. Otherwise “The Soup” will call a student directly to confront her with threats of not being able to walk in the 2024 graduation ceremony. Sounds like a rational response from a “DOCTOR”.

First off, a school employee or official having direct contact with a student who is not their student is a violation of epic proportions and wildly inappropriate conduct. What does Superintendent Marian Phelps, this “exemplary woman in education” get as a punishment for this conduct? A PAID administrative leave. Now, the insult upon injury. How mucsh does Superintendent Phelps make? Try $375,000 a year to include benefits.

I know what you’re thinking. Paid vacation, basically. It wasn’t enough some of these “exemplary educators” took almost two years off at the start of the new decade already. And this is why schools who ask for extra funding for much-needed technological and structural improvements have failed bonds and levies. No one wants to vote to support these two-faced people.

Here’s the deal (and a little bit of Parenting 101 for the “DOCTOR”). There will always be rivalries even between team mates in sports. It is a parent’s job to instill character and sportsmanship in these kids. Not call their teammates and seemingly threaten them. As a parent whose son is nearing the end of his career as a high school athlete, my husband and I have had these hard conversations with our son. There will always be bad sportsmanship on the team, sour grapes and jealousy. Unlike teenage boys who are a bit more direct in their response to hate, teenage girls are savage. And, apparently, so are Superintendents these days.

https://twitter.com/itsplanetjen/status/1753673749239304601?s=61&t=YDImGSUfMPRdKF_pyfiwFQ

There’s no crying in softball. Unless, you’re the infant-bully with the six-figure salary.

Photo Credit: lewisha1990, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons/Cropped