Dr. Ginni McDonald, former superintendent of the Batesville School District, has filed a verified federal civil rights complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
The lawsuit alleges McDonald was denied the constitutional due process guaranteed by the 14th Amendment during the process that led to the termination of her employment.
The complaint also alleges false and stigmatizing accusations damaged McDonald’s professional reputation and that the Batesville School District violated her contractual and constitutional rights.
The allegations contained in the complaint have not been proven in court. The school district’s response to the lawsuit was not included in the announcement released by McDonald’s attorney.
COMPLAINT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT VIDEO EVIDENCE
The lawsuit concerns the district’s handling of an investigation into alleged misconduct involving a preschool teacher.
According to the verified complaint, material evidence connected to that investigation was not fully disclosed to McDonald before the district took adverse employment actions against her.
The complaint states McDonald first viewed a partial clip of close-up surveillance footage on February 20, after the footage had already been provided to law enforcement.
McDonald alleges she immediately began making additional inquiries into what occurred and sought to determine who had accessed the different video recordings.
The complaint states McDonald cooperated fully with investigators and intended to continue examining the matter before she was placed on administrative leave.
McDonald was placed on administrative leave February 25 while an outside law firm conducted a review. The Batesville School Board later recommended terminating her contract following the investigation into allegations involving the district’s preschool program. Previous ArkansasRadio.com coverage reported that police had received 3 reports from the Child Abuse Hotline and conducted interviews and searches as part of the investigation.
MCDONALD SEEKS OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAR HER NAME
The federal lawsuit asks the court to ensure McDonald receives the constitutional protections afforded to public employees and an opportunity to clear her name.
McDonald released a statement following the filing of the complaint.
“I began my career in education because someone believed in me before I believed in myself,” McDonald said. “My goal has always been to create safe, successful learning environments for children while strengthening the communities I served. Now, I find myself fighting to protect the reputation I spent decades building.”
McDonald said she remains committed to learning the complete truth about the preschool investigation.
“I remain committed to learning the truth about what occurred, including the handling of the video evidence and the circumstances surrounding this investigation,” McDonald said. “The children, their families, and this Batesville community deserve nothing less than complete transparency.”
EXHIBITS NOT RELEASED
McDonald’s attorney said a copy of the verified complaint is being publicly released, but exhibits attached to or supporting the case are not being distributed at this time.
The decision was attributed to ongoing investigations and the sensitive nature of matters involving children.
Additional materials could become publicly available when appropriate through the federal judicial process.
According to the announcement, McDonald remains confident in the facts and integrity of her service to the Batesville School District. She intends to present her claims in court while seeking vindication of her reputation and clarity for those involved.
The complaint’s allegations are subject to proof in federal court. Filing a lawsuit does not establish that the allegations are true, and the defendants will have an opportunity to respond.
McDonald is represented by the Law Office of Jodi Cole, PLLC.
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