San Marino School Board Member Investigated For Sexual Battery

SAM MARINO, CA — San Marino Unified School District Board Member Chris Norgaard is under investigation for sexual battery and harassment, school district and police officials confirmed Tuesday.

Officials confirmed the investigations but did not divulge the specifics of the allegations. Norgaard has denied any wrongdoing, saying he is mystified by the news.

“I have no idea what this is about, which is very frustrating to me,” he told the Pasadena Star-News, which first broke the story. “I have been honored to serve, and well, I don’t know what could’ve been misconstrued or what happened here. I just have no idea, but I certainly didn’t do anything unlawful.”

San Marino Unified School District Superintendent of Schools Alex Cherniss said the school district has taken action to separate Norgaard from his accuser, reportedly prohibiting Norgaard from setting foot on district property.

“The San Marino Unified School District has received allegations that Mr. Chris Norgaard has engaged in improper conduct. The District takes allegations of sexual harassment extremely seriously and is committed to providing a safe and respectful work environment for its employees,” Cherniss said via email. “Upon notice of the allegations,and pursuant to Board of Education policies and applicable laws, the District retained outside legal counsel and an investigative firm to conduct an investigation.”

Police officials have been investigating the allegations since January 19, but they would not say if the alleged victim is a student or school district staffer, citing the need to protect ongoing investigation.

“On Friday, January 19, 2018, the San Marino Police Department received information from the San Marino Unified School District of an ongoing administrative investigation related to a School Board Member,” the department announced in a public advisory. “Based on this information, the San Marino Police Department initiated a criminal investigation, which is currently ongoing.”

Norgaard has been a board member since 2003. His current term is up in 2020.

The police department is asking anyone who has information that could be related to the investigation, to contact Detective Sergeant Tebbetts of the San Marino Police Department at (626) 300-0722.

Photo courtesy of the San Marino Unified School District