Former LLS superintendent claims termination result of filing complaint of board misconduct

LOS LUNAS — After almost four months of being on paid administrative leave, the Los Lunas Schools Board of Education unanimously voted to terminate the employment of Ryan Kettler as superintendent at a special Nov. 14 board meeting.

Kettler, who was hired as the superintendent in July 2023, was put on paid administrative leave on a 2-3 board vote pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct on July 16.

The decision to put him on leave was announced after a lengthy discussion in executive session, where the board spent nearly four hours in private conversation that evening discussing “conduct issues brought to the attention of the board.”

Since being put on leave, there have been no details released by the board about allegations of misconduct made against Kettler; however, at the Aug. 20 BOE meeting, board president Michelle Osowski told the News-Bulletin it was “nothing about the safety of children or staff. There is nothing felonious, no sexual misconduct or moral turpitude. Absolutely none of those things.”

Following the vote to terminate Kettler’s employment at the Nov. 14 meeting, Osowski shared a prepared statement.

“The situation is a confidential personnel matter and cannot be discussed publicly. Rest assured that the board has taken all necessary actions to mitigate risk and liability for the district throughout this process,” the statement read in part. “The board’s desire is to model by deed and action high expectations for conduct and achievement for all stakeholders in the Los Lunas community. This board will settle for nothing less than the highest of expectations for conduct and achievement.”

The News-Bulletin contacted Kettler, who has since retained an attorney, the next day for comment.

“I would like to start by thanking all those who supported me,” he said. “We were working together to make Los Lunas Schools a place where every student could learn, grow and flourish.

“I’m troubled by the board’s ill-advised decision,” he continued. “My termination came after I filed a complaint with the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) about a board member’s unlawful request to terminate another district employee’s employment. As a result of becoming a whistleblower, the board has now terminated my contract with the district, so at this point through a civil whistleblower lawsuit and the ongoing PED investigation, the public will learn of the board’s failure to follow the law and their retaliatory misconduct.”

Kettler explained the school board has one employee, which is the superintendent. They do not have power over all other district personnel, he said, so directing the superintendent to terminate someone is unlawful.

Osowski did not respond to News-Bulletin requests for comment regarding Kettler’s allegations.

The News-Bulletin asked Osowski at the Nov. 19 BOE meeting what the next steps are in filling the position and if the district would be paying out his contract. She said the board has not yet made a decision on next steps and she declined to comment on his contract.

When asked for more details on his response, Kettler said he could not comment further saying, “All will be revealed in due time through civil litigation or by PED’s investigation findings.”

Several Inspection of Public Records Act requests made by the News-Bulletin revealed DDSK to be the company hired by one of the district’s legal firms, Cuddy & McCarthy, to investigate the allegations of misconduct.

According to DDSK’s website, the company is “three retired superintendents nationally certified to conduct Title IX investigations and personnel/student misconduct independent investigations, student disciplinary hearings and other related services.”

One of the superintendents within DDSK is Dana Sanders, a former Los Lunas Schools superintendent who settled a wrongful termination lawsuit with Los Lunas Schools in 2021. The other two are also former superintendents, who have all been embroiled in employment related litigation with their former school districts.