Search on paid leave Royal School Board launches investigation

ROYAL CITY — The Rose Search controversy may have returned in the Royal School District – in another form.

The Royal School Board placed Search on paid leave on April 22 and launched an investigation of her regarding possible mis-use of district resources.

In a statement on the school district website, the board said neither it nor any of its members would comment beyond the statement.

Search said she would not speak about the matter or its facts until she met with her attorney, which she did Saturday.

Saturday evening Search said her attorney advised her not speak out until after she and the attorney meet with the Board. When that may happen is not known.

It is not clear if the Board or someone else is claiming that Search misused district resources. And there is nothing in the statement about how they were misused.

The board asked the district’s insurer, Clear Risk Solutions, to conduct the investigation. In its statement, the Board said that Clear Risk Solutions advised the board to place Search on paid administrative leave to protect the integrity of the investigation.

The board appointed Business Manager David Andra as the acting superintendent.

This is the second time the Board has gone after Search, a nine-year superintendent. Last year the Board wanted to end her contract after eight years. It even considered having the district buy out the ninth year at a cost of more than $200,000.

There was a 3-2 split on the Board during that controversy. Only one of the two members who then supported Search remains on the Board.

The community became split as the controversy arose and grew. There were some well-attended, sometimes heated Board meetings at which people on both sides of the issue voiced opinions.

At one of those meetings, Hispanics and a few Anglos backed Search. At another meeting, Anglos and a few Hispanics were opposed to Search. Royal Education Association President Brent Whitacker presented a survey that showed low support for Search among teachers.

That controversy ended – or so it seemed – with Search resigning effective at the end of this school year in June.

During that controversy, rumors circled in the community that the Board was considering an investigation on alleged misuse of funds.

The Sun Tribune received an unsigned email during that time which alleged misuse of funds in different ways. It was written as a press release by what appeared to be a fake news agency.

In trying to find out who wrote the press release to confirm the information – or not – and find out who had written the release-like email, the Sun Tribune traced the origin of the email to a pay phone in the West County area.

After news of this Search investigation was posted, the news surfaced that the board had bought out a portion of the teacher contract of Donna Dixon. Dixon confirmed that Sunday but wouldn’t reveal financial figures.

Members of the Royal Education Association claimed during the original controversy that Dixon was a Search confidant.

The Board placed Dixon on paid leave in September. She went back after 11 days but was placed on paid leave again in March. She hasn’t gone back. The Board opted to buy her out.

The district is paying Dixon salary and benefits for not working. It will pay her a lump sum after this year for one additional year of benefits.

Dixon would not say the reason for which the Board wanted her out. She said she wasn’t clear why, but she didn’t want to be at odds with the Board and took the buyout.