04 Nov AUSD Settles Lawsuit With Maintenance Director

(AUSD via Bay City News)

By Samantha Kennedy

The Antioch Unified School District settled a lawsuit that alleged it wrongfully suspended Maintenance Director Ken Turnage, who had been accused of bullying employees.

The settlement, announced at Wednesday’s school board meeting, put to rest allegations Turnage leveled against board members, including Board President Antonio Hernandez, and former interim Superintendent Robert Martinez. 

Turnage was placed on administrative leave and then unpaid leave in 2024 after being accused of bullying employees. A year prior, Turnage had told other employees to place an employee’s desk on the roof. 

Martinez, then the district’s human resources director, found that Turnage’s behavior was “inappropriate” but not “pervasive.” After two district employees publicly spoke out against Turnage, he alleged the district “allowed [a] false narrative to persist” around the incident, according to court filings.

Turnage also made accusations of retaliation and invasion of privacy.

The board took action to “fully resolve and settle the pending litigation, the administrative matters, and all possible claims they may have against each other in the form of a global release,” said Hernandez.

Claims of Turnage’s bullying were the basis for his friend and the former Superintendent Stephanie Anello’s firing last August, after she was accused of mishandling the accusations.

The board’s vote Wednesday was unanimous.