Merced City Schools superintendent put on paid leave ‘pending investigation,’ says board
The Merced City School Board of Trustees voted unanimously Friday to place Superintendent Richard Alan “Al” Rogers on paid leave of absence pending an investigation into complaints filed against him, according to the district.
The board held a special meeting on Friday to discuss the issue, though the reasons for the complaints filed against Rogers weren’t revealed by the district.
According to a district news release, Deputy Superintendent Doug Collins will be in charge while Rogers is on leave.
“The board’s decision to place the superintendent on administrative leave does not reflect whatsoever any determination about the merits of the complaints,” Merced City School District Board of Education President Birdi Olivarez-Kidwell stated in the release.
“The complaints will be promptly investigated by a third-party investigator to ensure that the process respects the rights of both the complainants and the superintendent. We expect our investigation to be fair, thorough, and as prompt as possible.”
The district said it’s unsure how long the investigation will take.
“We understand that placing the superintendent on leave creates questions in the minds of many; however, we ask that everyone respect the need for confidentiality and due process, not speculate, and not jump to conclusions,” Olivarez-Kidwell stated.
“This decision will not impact the quality and delivery of education and services for our students.”
Rogers was hired as the MCSD Superintendent in November of 2019, replacing RoseMary Parga Duran, who retired.
Rogers served as the deputy superintendent for the Sacramento County Office of Education before moving to Merced.
Rogers had a 3.5 year contract with Merced City School District with an annual salary of $250,000.
He received his doctorate in education from the University of the Pacific, and he holds two master’s degrees in administration and curriculum and instruction from Chapman University.
He also has a bachelor’s degree in history and Spanish from Sacramento State University and an associate degree in language and literature from Sacramento City College.
This story was originally published March 5, 2021 at 8:01 PM.
