(WBIR - KNOXVILLE) Knox County Schools Security Chief Gus Paidousis is the subject of a written complaint sent this month to the district's human resources department.
So scathing and wide-ranging are the accusations, the three KCS Security Department employees who filed it are asking for whistle-blower status, "due to the fact that some of the allegations rise to the level of a criminal offense," they write.
Captains Dan Stewart, Doug Ryerkerk and Bill Kee sent the written complaint on Dec. 14 to KCS Human Resources Director Scott Bolton, calling for an investigation by his department into these allegations as soon as possible.
WBIR 10News inspected the personnel files of not only Paidousis but also Kee, Ryerkerk and Stewart. The documents revealed KCS had separately reprimanded to varying degrees each of the three captains for at least one incident in 2015.
COMPLAINT AGAINST PAIDOUSIS
The Dec. 14 complaint alleges Paidousis has a history of racist, sexist, threatening and retaliatory behavior in the workplace.
"The conduct described below is alleged to be a violation of school board policy and federal law," the complaint claims.
The school security officers cite instances in which Paidousis made "racially charged offensive remarks" about three former officers, all of whom they say are black. In one of those instances, the men write, a separate Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint has already been filed.
Also, the complaint says, "a female employee of the department has been subjected to sexual harassment and inappropriate comments from Chief Paidousis that have made her very uncomfortable and fearful of him."
Chief Paidousis, the three captains say, uses profanity in the presence of employees. The men cite an in-service training day this school year, during which "he cursed the entire uniform body and berated them and others in a ninety minute monologue which upset and concerned several of the officers present."
KCS Chief Operating Officer Russ Oaks has apparently already met with Paidousis, the complaint states, but "nothing was done to resolve the issues, and retaliation from Chief Paidousis has and is still occurring towards the office staff members that attended that meeting."
The men say in addition to comments Paidousis made against KCS Security Department employees willing to report him, Paidousis also had installed additional security cameras "in the office areas specifically targeting employees who had spoken critically of Chief Paidousis.”
"He has in the past made threats of violence directed toward Deputy Law Director Susan Crabtree," the complaint states. "He also verbally expressed a desire to kill a former security officer who had embarrassed him."
Citing board policy, Capts. Kee, Ryerkerk and Stewart request whistle-blower status and say Paidousis has violated both the board's civility code and policy pertaining to employee harassment.
REACTION
Responding to WBIR's request for a response to the complaint, Paidousis directed 10News to the KCS public relations office.
KCS Superintendent Jim McIntyre issued a statement to 10News, saying, “On December 14th, our Human Resources Office received a complaint from three individuals in our security department. All such allegations are taken seriously, and the complaint is being thoroughly investigated in accordance with School Board policy."
The three security officers also sent the complaint to every member of the Knox County School Board on Dec. 14.
Board member Amber Rountree told WBIR 10News, "Given that some of the allegations listed in the EEOC complaint mirror those listed in the formal complaint filed by the three captains, I hope that they are investigated to the fullest extent. I also expect that the Board will be informed of the outcome as the complaint was also sent to the Board.'
"It saddens me," she continued, "that issues like this continue to be at the forefront of our work because it detracts from our most important and ambitious goal of excellence for every child."
Board member Patti Bounds also said the allegations sadden her, that KCS is making headlines "with another possible serious issue related to employment. I had hoped 2016 would look different and we could be about educating the deserving students of Knox County without the multitude of problems and distractions in 2015."
PAIDOUSIS' PAST
Paidousis began his employment with Knox County Schools in mid-2013, when he took the position as chief of security. He replaced Steve Griffin, who retired in the midst of an investigation into an inappropriate relationship he had with a vendor who sold security equipment to KCS.
Paidousis came directly from the Knoxville Police Department, where he was the deputy chief of Criminal Investigation Division. He'd spent three decades with KPD and grew up in the Knox County Schools district.
PERSONNEL FILES
10News inspected the personnel files of Paidousis, Kee, Ryerkerk and Stewart.
Chief Paidousis' 17-page file consisted mainly of his resume and documentation related to his hiring process, from 2013. There was no paperwork related to complaints of any kind.
In his 2013 application for the position of KCS chief of security, Paidousis said he has "an outstanding, high energy work ethic, committed to truthfulness, good decision maker and exercise attention to detail and follow through."
Among his honors and accomplishments, Paidousis listed 1988 police officer of the year; graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Senior Management Institute for Police; Leadership Knoxville graduate and his activity on a number of local, state and international boards and organizations related to law enforcement and volunteer service.
The three captains' personnel files had significantly more paperwork.
This month, KCS placed Capt. Stewart on administrative leave/suspension with pay, from Dec. 11 to Dec. 18. The corrective action stems from an incident on Dec. 10, when Stewart began discussing an unrelated investigation during a meeting with a student and his mother. Then, in a meeting with Carter High School principal Ryan Siebe, Stewart told Siebe there's likely a gun on campus, given the number of students present. When Siebe objected, according to the personnel file documents, Stewart reiterated his position.
"The comments you made during the parent meetings and your interaction with Principal Siebe on December 10th were not professional, and were not in keeping with the expectations we have for employees of the Knox County Schools," the Dec. 18 letter states. "Further, some of the information you shared was of a confidential nature. The comments you made were speculative, unsolicited and tended to exacerbate an already difficult safety and security challenge."
In the letter, KCS director of human resources operations Adrian Rucker told Stewart he has an opportunity to correct his behavior and admonished him to follow all KCS and Board of Education policies and procedures from now on.
Capt. Kee, too, received an official reprimand just this month.
In a "Written Reprimand" dated Dec. 16, a district HR official directed Kee to participate in harassment and sensitivity training provided by KCS director of benefits and employee relations Scott Bolton.
According to the document, that stemmed from an incident that apparently happened this fall, in which Kee acted "in an unprofessional manner" and was "uncivil to a coworker."
"It was alleged that you used profanity when addressing...a coworker about 'going over your head,'" the written reprimand details. "It was also alleged that you cursed at the employee for taking information to Chief Gus Paidousis regarding the Knox County Security division being out of compliance with FCC regulations."
Earlier in the year, Kee was suspended without pay for three days for failing to secure his school-issued gun and leaving it unattended in his car, resulting in its theft. The gun was stolen from Kee's vehicle in late March, and Kee was suspended in late April.
The only recent complaint in Capt. Ryerkerk's file was from May of this year and resulted in no major disciplinary action.
The complaint alleges that during an investigation at a school in late April, Ryerkerk searched the subject's purse in plain view of students and parents at the school. Additionally, it said, Ryerkerk discussed other cases involving employees in front of the complainant. Finally, a review of the allegations revealed that Ryerkerk's car "was not maintained in a professional manner."
The issue was resolved with a simple meeting between Ryerkerk and Paidousis.