Akron Public Schools' director of safety and security has returned to his position after a roughly seven-week paid administrative leave and a three-day unpaid suspension that district officials say stemmed from a violation of the district's staff ethics policy.
Disciplinary finding and return to work
Alan Jones, who has served as the district's director of safety and security since 2024, was placed on paid administrative leave on Aug. 31 while the district investigated his conduct during a meeting held Aug. 26 with a safety team member and her union representative. District records obtained by the Akron Beacon Journal through a public records request show an investigator concluded Jones violated the staff ethics policy but did not find he retaliated against or harassed the employee or her union representative.
"As director of safety and security services, you are expected to model restraint, de-escalation and high ethical standards. Confronting employees and union representatives in a physical and aggressively loud manner falls far below the professional conduct required of leadership in the district,"
That language appears in a memo from human resources director Chase Canfield notifying Jones of the disciplinary action. The district imposed a three-day unpaid suspension and Jones returned to work on Oct. 21.
Allegations and investigation
The review was prompted by the Aug. 26 meeting, which was convened to discuss the involuntary job transfer of a safety team member. According to the records, the meeting escalated into a shouting match. The safety team member — not named in the records and not publicly identified by the Beacon Journal because the paper typically does not name alleged victims — accused Jones of injuring her knee while trying to remove her union representative from the office. She also alleged that Jones later showed up twice at her worksite and retaliated against her.
District investigators did not substantiate claims of harassment or retaliation, but determined Jones' behavior violated the staff ethics policy, which requires employees to "recognize basic dignities of everyone they interact with on the job and to protect the mental and physical safety of students, colleagues and subordinates."
What the discipline entails
District records show the disciplinary outcome was limited to a three-day unpaid suspension in addition to the period of paid administrative leave. The records do not indicate any other personnel actions, such as termination or demotion, were taken. The district has not publicly released the full investigation report.
- Aug. 26 — Meeting about a safety team member's involuntary transfer becomes heated.
- Aug. 31 — Jones placed on paid administrative leave pending investigation.
- Oct. 21 — Jones returns to work after investigator finds ethics violation; three-day unpaid suspension imposed.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Position | Director of safety and security |
| Name | Alan Jones |
| Start in role | 2024 |
| Disciplinary action | Three-day unpaid suspension; paid administrative leave from Aug. 31 until return |
Local implications
School safety leadership plays a prominent role in district operations and community trust, particularly amid ongoing concerns about student and staff security in schools statewide. The district's decision to place a senior safety official on leave while investigating complaints and to impose an unpaid suspension signals an effort to hold leadership to the district's stated standards without pursuing the most severe personnel remedies.
Union leaders and staff members may view the outcome differently depending on whether they believe the investigation fully addressed allegations of mistreatment and retaliation. The records show the investigator did not substantiate retaliation claims, but the ethics violation finding highlights expectations for conduct from those charged with maintaining safety and de-escalation in school settings.
The district has not released further comment beyond the personnel records shared with the Beacon Journal. Parents and staff seeking more information are likely to press the Akron Public Schools administration and school board for clarity about how ethics standards are applied to leadership and what steps will be taken to prevent similar incidents.
As the school year progresses, the episode may prompt renewed attention to dispute resolution procedures, union-management interactions and the training and oversight of administrators whose duties include confronting tense situations and protecting the well-being of students and employees.
