Ramona Unified School District Trustee Rodger Dohm has been on administrative leave from his teaching position at Poway High School since January 23rd, according to officials with the Poway Unified School District.

Leave Due to Personnel Matter

Poway Unified spokesperson Josue Reyna stated the leave is related to an ongoing personnel matter. As of March 27th, no date has been determined for Dohm’s return to work.

Roles at Poway High School

In addition to his teaching duties, Dohm served as the Engineering Academy/Pathway coordinator and was the coach of Team Spyder, Poway High School’s award-winning robotics team. District officials have declined to provide further details regarding the administrative leave.

Response to Public Concerns

The Ramona Unified School District released a statement on March 30th addressing a social media post concerning Dohm’s leave and a potential internal investigation. The statement clarified that the matter is specific to Poway Unified and does not involve Ramona Unified.

“Because Mr. Dohm is a PUSD employee, any actions related to his employment are confidential personnel matters handled solely by that district,” the statement read. “Like all school districts, PUSD may place an employee on administrative leave as a standard precaution during an investigation. This action does not imply wrongdoing.”

Dohm Addresses Health and Leave at Board Meeting

Dohm announced at the March 4th Ramona Unified school board meeting that he had undergone heart surgery. He explained his absence from the February 12th meeting was due to health issues.

“I wanted to thank the board for understanding why I was out,” Dohm said. “I had heart surgery. It was something that was unavoidable. It turns out that I have a genetic issue.” He also indicated he would require further surgery and would work with the Interim Superintendent Leslie Wilson to minimize disruption.

Public Comment and Calls for Resignation

During the public comment period of the March 4th meeting, speakers Shaun Stotts and Austin White questioned Dohm’s continued service on the Ramona Unified school board while on leave from his teaching position. Stotts directly asked Dohm if he planned to step down.

“I’m kind of shocked, Rodger, that you are here and representing a district with everything going on,” Stotts said. White echoed the sentiment, questioning the appropriateness of Dohm leading teachers while unable to teach himself.

District Clarifies Elected Role

The Ramona Unified School District emphasized that Dohm’s position as an elected official is separate from his employment with Poway Unified. “As an elected official, not a district employee, his role is determined by the voters, and RUSD does not have the authority to alter his status,” the district stated. The district affirmed its commitment to transparency and communication.