The Longview School Board has rejected a request to return Superintendent Karen Cloninger to paid administrative leave.

The decision came last night after Cloninger’s attorney threatened to sue the district, arguing that moving her to unpaid leave was a breach of her contract.

Cloninger was initially placed on paid leave in May after being arrested on charges including witness tampering and failure to report child abuse. This came after, months prior, two students on the Mark Morris Boys basketball team were arrested on charges including rape for incidents that occurred involving other players in the varsity locker room. After heavy public pressure, the board moved her to unpaid leave in June after court conditions prohibited her from contacting district students and several key staff members.

The board says those restrictions made it impossible for Cloninger to perform her duties as superintendent. Board President Don Wiitala said he does not believe that someone should be paid for a job they are not allowed to perform.

The community once again came out in droves last night, demanding the board not give any sort of compensation to Cloninger. As things currently stand, she remains employed by the district under a contract that runs through 2029 because the board opted to extend her contract earlier this year. That means that she continues to receive benefits and retain accrued leave.

Her trial is scheduled for March 2027.