School board voters to terminate contract of Arkansas superintendent accused of sexual harassment

Matthew Wendt, Fayetteville Public Schools superintendent, is shown in this 2017 file photo.
Matthew Wendt, Fayetteville Public Schools superintendent, is shown in this 2017 file photo.

The Fayetteville School Board voted unanimously Monday night to terminate the contract of Superintendent Matthew Wendt, who had faced sexual-harassment allegations.

The vote was announced after the board spent nearly two hours in executive session during a specially scheduled public hearing.

"I would like to express our deepest disappointment," School Board President Justin Eichmann said.

Wendt had been on paid administrative leave since April 7 in relation to a sexual harassment allegation made against him by an employee March 14. He was hired July 1, 2016.

On May 25, the employee filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the Fayetteville School District and School Board over the handling of the claims, according to a news release from the employee's lawyer.

Attorney Suzanne Clark's said her client's complaint details Wendt's abusive conduct after the woman refused to continue to have sex with him. The woman complained that Wendt stalked her, sent her numerous text messages while she was at home and at work and told her she could be fired for her actions, according to the release. Wendt cursed the woman at work, reminded her he was her boss and that he would not give her a raise if she refused to have sex with him, according to a letter from Clark to the district in April.

Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Ashton Eley contributed to this report.

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