School official cleared of sexual harassment
Administrator is mayor's brother

Sunday, February 11, 2007
Plain Dealer

Cleveland school officials cleared administrator Nick Jackson, the mayor's brother, of accusations he sexually harassed a female subordinate. But his accuser called the investigation a whitewash.

"I found no credible evidence supporting the allegations," Clinton Faulkner, deputy chief of human resources, said in an investigation report.

Faulkner instead faulted Jackson for not punishing the woman for her suggestive comments and behavior.

He ordered their neighboring offices separated and recommended that both take sexual harassment training. She cried when given the report by The Plain Dealer on Saturday.

The woman said she is not surprised that Jackson, who earns $124,900 as head of school facilities, was cleared.

"I felt the investigation was not to seek the truth but to vindicate Nick and to protect the new administrative team," she said.

She said Jackson flaunted his ties to the mayor and district Chief Executive Eugene Sanders, who is appointed by the mayor.

Last month, the 35-year-old woman charged that Jackson, 50, fondled her breasts despite her protests in his office in July and that he tried again Jan. 8.

She freely admitted in an interview Saturday that she had permitted him such liberties in the past during a time when she had a drinking problem.

But she has joined Alcoholics Anonymous, become engaged, and is a changed person, which she said Jackson would not accept.

Hired last summer, Sanders cleaned out almost all previous administrators, but kept Jackson. Faulkner has said he experienced no political pressure to give Jackson special treatment.

This is the second known school investigation into Nick Jackson.

In 2002, former CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett retained lawyer Inajo Chappell to investigate Jackson's business dealings as a member of former Mayor Michael White's administration.

Chappell noted that investigators were repeatedly told Jackson showed "complete disregard for rules and regulations."

Jackson told Chappell he was being singled out because he was close to White. He acknowledged bending the rules, but claimed he did not break them. More....

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Isn't this a perfect example of blame the victim!?!

Let's see - Impartial investigation? Yeah Right!

The missing Mayor, Frank Jackson, hires Cleveland Schools CEO who in turn has one of his employees investigate the brother of the man who hired him!

This poor girl did not have a chance!

KING