The Southern Lehigh School District administrator who filed a discrimination complaint against the superintendent has been suspended with pay pending an investigation into the employee’s job performance.
The district also offered Human Resources Director Ethan Ake-Little a separation agreement that would have him drop all complaints against the district should he sign it.
The suspension notice, issued Wednesday, informs Ake-Little that the district has determined an investigation is warranted into “multiple allegations” regarding “incompetence, intemperance, willful neglect of your employment duties, and otherwise improper conduct” that allegedly violates the Pennsylvania School Code and his employment contract.
Ake-Little provided a copy of the suspension notice and an accompanying separation agreement to The Morning Call.
Karen Trinkle, who was promoted from assistant superintendent to substitute superintendent in Marchsigned the suspension notice. Neither she nor the board solicitor, who was copied on the notice, returned requests for comment.
Multiple board members confirmed they were not aware of the suspension notice or separation agreement before they were issued, but members otherwise declined to comment or did not return requests for comment.
The suspension comes days after a Morning Call report detailing allegations Ake-Little made against Superintendent Michael Mahon, who has been on administrative leave since February.
That report was based on documents provided to this news organization by a source who wished to remain anonymous. They show that Ake-Little filed a discrimination complaint against Mahon in July, and a subsequent retaliation complaint against Mahon and the school board in February.
The second complaint is pending before the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, a state agency that investigates discrimination allegations. District investigations into both complaints found no evidence of discrimination, but were critical of Mahon’s oversight of Ake-Little, the documents show.
The suspension letter from Trinkle does not include specifics on the complaints against Ake-Little. But the documents previously shared with The Morning Call show Mahon questioned the professionalism of Ake-Little’s communications with district leaders and staff, and argued that failures to effectively and empathetically communicate led to poor job performance.
The separation agreement offers six months pay — equivalent to $67,259 — plus a deposit of $21,259 worth of unused vacation days into Ake-Little’s retirement account.
It also would release the district from all claims related to wrongful discharge and discrimination statutes, including the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
Ake-Little told The Morning Call he was given a Friday deadline to sign the separation agreement but did not indicate whether or not he intends to do so.
In a statement, he said: “I was provided with vague charges without any supporting documentation. To date, Dr. Trinkle, my direct supervisor, has not provided me with any written documentation detailing these alleged performance deficiencies. In fact, I have received no written reprimands since the Board took official action to remove all of them from my file on September 23, 2024.”
At the Sept. 23 board meeting, members voted to award an employee — identified as Ake-Little in the documents but not named during the meeting or on the board agenda — a raise and allow him to report directly to the board president regarding future evaluations or disciplinary actions. It also removed reprimands placed in his personnel file by Mahon.
Ake-Little called the separation agreement “a blatant attempt to cover up the district’s misconduct and evade responsibility.
“Moreover, it is a desperate measure to bury the truth and avoid public scrutiny for their actions,” he said. “The district’s actions are not only damaging to me personally and professionally, but they also highlight a deeply troubling disregard for due process and employee rights. I will continue to cooperate fully with the PHRC investigation and I believe the public deserves to know the full extent of the district’s efforts to suppress accountability.”
The board’s next meeting is Monday.
Reporter Elizabeth DeOrnellas can be reached at edeornellas@mcall.com.
