Midlands superintendent finalist was accused of battering students, police say
A finalist for Richland District 2 superintendent was investigated by Florida police four years ago after students accused her of battery following a high school basketball game, according to police reports.
Nia Campbell, the then-principal of Osceola High School in Kissimmee, Florida, was investigated after the basketball game on March 1, 2019, according to reports from the Kissimmee Police Department.
After a home team victory, basketball players and their fans took to the court in celebration, and Campbell “began to push and pull students” in an attempt to get them off the court, according to police reports. Video of the incident circulated on social media, local news reported, and soon after several students filed complaints.
School officials and police soon received a report of a student who accused Campbell of battery. The student said Campbell pulled his hair after the basketball game.
In a statement, the student said he remained on the basketball court to celebrate the school’s win. He said he removed his jersey and began waving it in celebration when he noticed his friend on the floor trying to get up. He picked up his friend so he wouldn’t get hurt and continued celebrating when he felt someone grab his hair and pull it. He looked back to see it was Campbell and found it “surprising,” according to the statement.
The student said he was not warned to leave the court and said he was not behaving in a threatening way.
The student’s mother requested that law enforcement and the Osceola County School Board investigate the incident, and said she wished to criminally prosecute Campbell, according to a police report. A police report indicated that a document would be prepared charging Campbell with one count of battery and that the case would forwarded to the state attorney’s office for review. The State could not reach the state attorney’s office on Tuesday, but the Denver Gazette reported that the office did not bring misdemeanor battery charges against Campbell.
The student decided he did not want to prosecute Campbell, but requested an apology.
A second battery accusation was filed against Campbell when a student reported being repeatedly pushed by her at the game.
The student said they were on the court celebrating when they felt three separate pushes in the back, according to the report. Although the student said they did not believe the encounter was “a big deal,” an officer reported “I have reasons to believe” that Campbell had committed simple battery, according to the report. But because the student did not want to prosecute, the report was cleared.
The student did not report any injuries.
Campbell told police that administrators told the crowd over the public address system not to storm the basketball court, but the students did not listen. In an attempt to disperse the crowd, Campbell began telling people to “get off the court,” and when verbal commands didn’t work, she began grabbing and pulling people away, according to police reports.
The Osceola County school board investigator told police that the district’s policy permits school personnel to use reasonable force to protect themselves, students and others from injury, according to a police report. But police said evidence led them to believe it was an unreasonable amount of force.
Campbell left a voicemail for Osceola High School parents, according to local news, making them aware of the allegations.
The news outlet reported that Campbell told parents: “District leadership and school board general counsel have reviewed the allegation and video slash videos that have been circulated and have found no cause to relieve me of my duties at this time.”
The State could not reach Campbell for comment.
However, when Campbell was up for a different superintendent position in Colorado, she told the Denver Gazette that her track record is “much more than one accusation.”
“I am not in the business of hurting children,” Campbell told the Gazette.
McPherson & Jacobson LLC, the firm hired by Richland District 2 to assist in the superintendent search, said that they’ve only heard “glowing” reviews of Campbell from Aurora Public Schools in Colorado, where she currently works, as well as Osceola County Schools.
“We’ve gotten excellent references on her,” said Judy Sclair-Stein, who sits on McPherson & Jacobson’s board of directors. “We do not have concerns.”
When the Richland 2 board was told about the incident at Osceola High School, Sclair-Stein said the Richland 2 board did not seem concerned either.
School board Vice Chair Monica Scott, who is leading the superintendent search, did not respond to requests for comment. Board Chair Lindsay Agostini declined to comment.
Campbell, along with the two other superintendent finalists, Benjamin Henry and Kim Moore, will be interviewed in Columbia this week. Richland 2’s next leader is expected to be announced by the school board June 27. The search comes after former Superintendent Baron Davis’ abrupt resignation in January.
“We’re excited about all three of these leaders,” Sclair-Stein said. “They have done their homework in learning about Richland 2, they are well familiar with what has transpired over the last couple of years ... They want to be here. They want to work with Richland 2 to help it move forward and grow.”
