MISHAWAKA, Ind. — REAL News Michiana has learned only ONE candidate for a seat on the Penn Harris Madison School Board is planning to skip a public forum in which the public is allowed to submit questions to candidates. That candidate is Doug Chaffee, who has been under intense scrutiny following several RNM investigations involving his career as an educator and his personal life, including his termination as the Principal of Penn High School for having sex with his secretary. The FIVE other candidates have all agreed to participate in the forum scheduled for September 30th.
DOUG CHAFFEE FIRED FOR HAVING SEX WITH SECRETARY
Last month, RNM published an investigative story showing Doug Chaffee was constructively fired from PHM Schools for having an affair with his secretary. Documents in Chaffee’s personnel file obtained by RNM through a public records request show he was the Associate Principal at Penn High School when the affair occurred and was forced to resign/retire in 2010 due to the scandal involving his subordinate.
Details of the affair are laid out in an EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) complaint Chaffee filed against PHM in 2010, in which he attempted to claim he was discriminated against, demoted and forced to resign/retire because of his age and sex. The EEOC determined the claim was unsubstantiated and it is now part of Chaffee’s publicly available personnel file.
According to the documents, Chaffee was married to his first wife at the time of the affair, however, he claims he and his wife were separated. Chaffee also claims the affair occurred prior to the secretary being moved into a subordinate position underneath him and that she never filed any complaints against him herself. According to Chaffee’s complaint, he was initially “demoted” from his Associate Principal position at Penn to an administration position at the school district’s alternative school program known as Penn Way prior to being asked to submit his resignation.
“I was threatened that if I fought the demotion I would face a public investigation, School Board action, and would certainly never hold an administrative position anywhere again. I was told that if I did not want to face all of that, they would ‘let me resign’ at the end of the school year.'” Chaffee wrote in his complaint.
Chaffee submitted a letter to the administration in November of 2009, notifying Superintendent Jerry Thacker that he intended to retire at the end of the 2009-2010 school year.
Ironically, the information regarding the affair would have never come to light if Doug Chaffee would not have filed an EEOC complaint. Under Indiana Statute, only certain discipline records are publicly available. Those records are only available if they resulted in someone’s demotion, suspension or termination. The district’s initial move to put Chaffee in the Penn Way position was technically not a demotion and, allowing him to resign instead of firing him was a way to keep the investigation and disciplinary action a secret from the public. That being said, EEOC action is always considered public record.
Chaffee has been mired in controversy since announcing his bid to run for school board. An RNM investigation earlier this year shows Chaffee had a protection order against him for harassing and attacking a young woman late last year. His son, Matt Chaffee, who is currently a member of the PHM School Board has also been caught up in several scandals involving prostitution and illegal gambling.
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