Leigh Ann Himes urges independent probe into Tolland schools' handling of Title IX complaints

Leigh Ann Himes told the Tolland School Board on March 11 that repeated requests for formal Title IX investigations into harassment of her child were denied and asked the board to open an independent probe into district practices.

Himes, who identified herself as living at 22 Austin Drive, said harassment persisted over four years and that school administrators, the district Title IX coordinator and the superintendent did not pursue requested formal investigations. "Even the state of Connecticut Department of Education attempted to intervene. However, the district refused to investigate," she said. Himes also said she filed a federal complaint with the Office for Civil Rights and that the complaint was accepted; she asked the board to audit 10 to 15 years of Title IX complaints and investigate district spending related to alleged improprieties.

At the same meeting, Patty Phillips shared a separate parent account of dissatisfaction with how an appeal was handled in a Title IX matter involving her daughter, saying she believed key information had been omitted from the appeals process and that follow-up e-mails to an investigator and the Title IX coordinator went unanswered.

Neither the superintendent nor the chair announced an immediate formal board action in response to Himes' requests during the meeting; Chair (speaker 1) opened the public-comment period and allowed parents to speak, and later board members acknowledged the difficulty of raising such concerns in public. In response to public comment, a board member said, "If we can't be advocates for our own kids, who can't?" and indicated the remarks did not fall on deaf ears, but no vote or directive to launch an independent investigation was recorded in the meeting minutes.

Why this matters: Parents' statements allege procedural breakdowns in how Title IX complaints were handled and point to a pending federal Office for Civil Rights case. The board is the elected body responsible for district oversight, and requests for independent review or audits could lead to additional scrutiny or formal actions if pursued.

What the board said it would do next: Board members said they heard the concerns and would follow up as appropriate; the meeting record shows no formal motion to open an independent investigation during this session. The board may discuss next steps outside of the public meeting or on a future agenda.