By The ASSOCIATED PRESS
ALSEA — Oregon gubernatorial candidate Marc Thielman, a conservative Republican and outspoken critic of COVID-19 public health mandates, resigned on Tuesday from his job as superintendent of Alsea School District.
Thielman announced his resignation as superintendent during an emergency meeting of the school board.
Sixteen Republicans have filed to run in the May primary for governor.
The Corvallis Gazette-Times reports the superintendent made waves in January when he announced that at his direction, the school board had passed a resolution to return “local control” to the board and make indoor masking optional during the COVID pandemic. Local teachers had objected that the decision showed disregard for staff and students, OPB reported.
“I can’t stand by any longer and be distracted with political jockeying by those who live their lives in fear and try to force obedience via threat and harm to my standing and the good reputation of the Alsea School District and board,” Thielman told school board members on Tuesday, reading from his letter of resignation.
The resignation comes a week after three formal complaints were filed against him, alleging a hostile work environment, illegal firing practices and disregard for any viewpoint that is not his own.
The emergency meeting was scheduled so the board could hire a third-party investigator to look into the complaints, which they voted to do before Thielman announced his resignation.
There was no indication who would serve as interim-superintendent until a permanent replacement can be hired by the district.
Thielman said he will continue to focus on his run for Oregon governor.
