Washoe County School District President Accused of Conspiracy

Washoe County School District (WCSD) Trustee Jeff Church levied serious accusations against Board President Beth Smith on Tuesday, April 9.

Church alleges that Smith, along with two undisclosed women, conspired against him, leading to unsubstantiated claims of sexual harassment following a school board meeting last fall. He vehemently denies the allegations, asserting that video evidence supports his innocence, placing him away from the alleged incident.

However, despite his calls for transparency, the District has refused to review the footage or make it available to the public. Additionally, there has been no initiative from the District to conduct an internal or external investigation to validate the women’s claims.

During the meeting, Church revealed the existence of a whistleblower willing to step forward and undergo investigation, alleging that Smith and the unidentified women conspired to frame him with baseless accusations. He submitted a comprehensive 19-page document in support of his claims.

The development comes after Church filed a Writ of Mandamus on Friday, March 1, seeking to compel the District to adhere to established sexual harassment policies and Nevada law. Church asserts that there is a systematic effort within WCSD to silence his critiques of district policies.

Despite the absence of substantiated claims, the District approved a $500,000 budget increase on Tuesday, March 12, to defend against Church’s anticipated legal actions. WCSD General Counsel Neil Rombardo cited the women’s harassment complaints as the basis for the expenditure, labeling the lawsuit as intimidation.

In response, Church’s attorney, Luke Busby, accused Rombardo of inflating costs and mishandling responses, particularly regarding the disclosure of public records. Church emphasizes that his legal action is to ensure procedural integrity and transparency within WCSD rather than seeking financial compensation.