
The Ferguson-Florissant School District has placed Superintendent Dr. Joseph Davis on administrative leave amid allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation, as reported by multiple sources. An announcement from the district indicated that the board took this step following a closed meeting on Saturday night and is in the process of engaging an independent party to conduct a thorough investigation into the claims made by two former principals. Fox2Now first shared news of the leave.
According to a news release by the district and first reported by St. Louis Today, extensive allegations encompassing sexual harassment and race discrimination have been leveled against Davis by Frank Williams and Cedric Gerald who are suing the district following their demotions. These events unfolding nearly a decade under Davis's leadership cast a shadow on a tenure that has until now, been marked by the quotidian endeavor of education management.
Within the legal documents, Frank Williams accused Davis of subjecting him to unwanted sexual advances, one involving a dinner meeting where Davis allegedly used the term "mentor" with sexual connotations followed by explicit language. Cedric Gerald, on the other hand, claims that his sexual orientation became the basis for discriminatory actions from Davis, stating that upon rejecting Davis's attempts to engage in explicit conversations, he faced a depletion of resources and support at his school. After incidents where Gerald was injured, requests for additional security were denied, positions First Alert 4 reported demands for a jury trial and unspecified damages are presently being made by both plaintiffs.
During this interim, the district has appointed Dr. Jocelyn Pugh-Walker and Brent Mitchel as co-acting superintendents to assume Davis's responsibilities. “We are confident in Dr. Pugh-Walker and Mr. Mitchell’s leadership and their ability to guide the district during this time of transition without disruption to our schools or services,” Dr. Kevin M. Martin, Board President, told Fox2Now.