Jason Manning out as Modesto High principal as investigation into inappropriate behavior ends

Jason Manning will not return to his position as Modesto High School principal, the Modesto City Schools district announced Wednesday evening.

Manning has been on leave since the district launched an investigation Nov. 29 into allegations of inappropriate conduct between him and an unidentified employee.

The investigation is complete, the district said in a news release, and Manning will continue employment as a teacher. Phuc Pham-Goulart will continue to serve as interim principal at Modesto High School.

Manning had been principal since 2009, according to Bee archives. He had previously served as the school’s associate principal of curriculum and instruction.

According to the district’s salary schedule, Manning earned between $154,836 and $173,612 a year as principal, depending on his experience. For a Bee article published Jan. 31, the district confirmed Manning had been paid over $20,000 since the district placed him on administrative leave on Dec. 1. The district did not disclose how much the other employee makes.

The news release does not say where Manning will teach and what if any action was taken against the certificated employee. But district spokeswoman Linda Mumma Solorio told The Bee that his teaching position will be within Modesto City Schools but not at Modesto High. The certificated employee — certificated meaning the person has a teaching credential — also will not be returning to Modesto High but will remain employed in the district, she said.

The district has revealed nothing about the nature of the inappropriate conduct allegations. Early on, it said in a statement that “the allegations are isolated and do not involve any students or other staff members.”

Its news release Wednesday said, “... this is a personnel matter, and we are legally required to respect privacy rights.”