Prineville, Ore. – A longtime staff member at High Desert Christian Academy (HDCA) says she was unexpectedly dismissed from her position Friday, prompting a wave of social media reaction and a formal response from the school’s board.
Maggie Hale, who had served the private Christian school for 24 years in various roles, including as a Principal and Early Learning Director, posted a lengthy public statement online detailing what she described as unfair treatment, retaliatory action by leadership, and concerns about the handling of grant funds.
Hale said she was called into a meeting on Friday without warning and told, “This is your last day.” In the post, she recounted asking why, to which she said a board member replied, “I don’t have to give you a reason…You are ineffective.“
Hale described feeling “treated like a criminal” while gathering her belongings and said she had dedicated decades to the school, helped expand the ELD program to 60 children, and worked evenings to secure grant funding she says benefited HDCA in program development, staffing, and facilities.
Among the specific allegations Hale raised were:
• Claims that grant funds earmarked for staff compensation and programming were diverted to support a grant writer instead.
• Concerns that the school could face potential scrutiny over grant-related spending.
• Claims that she faced retaliation for speaking up internally.
• Frustration after being reassigned duties and later removed from grants she helped obtain.
“I have loved this school for so long, but there is something not right here,” Hale wrote. “When they try to run over a person that has only poured their heart in God’s school, someone needs to be held accountable.”
School disputes the accuracy of online claims
In an email sent to HDCA families Friday evening, a copy of which was shared by a parent on the condition of anonymity with the Prineville Review, the HDCA Board of Directors disputed the assertions made in Hale’s public post.
“We want to assure our community that the statements being shared are not accurate and do not reflect the truth of the situation,”the board wrote.
The board said that, as a matter of policy, it cannot publicly discuss personnel matters “out of respect for the privacy and confidentiality of all individuals involved,” but asserted that its decisions were made “unanimously, prayerfully, and in full accordance with our duties.”
The school also claimed a separate complication involving social media access: “A former employee’s family member has taken control of HDCA’s Facebook page, Parent Teacher Fellowship page and blocked all access and administration,” the email stated.
The board said efforts were underway to regain control of the accounts and emphasized that official communication would temporarily be limited to direct email.
Hale’s post drew immediate engagement from community members, many expressing shock over the sudden departure.
Some parents who contacted the Prineville Review expressed uncertainty about the conflicting accounts and frustration that employees and families have not been given a fuller explanation.
HDCA maintains that it continues to operate “mission-driven and deeply committed to providing quality education and childcare services that honor God and faithfully serve our students and families.”
Documentation and oversight concerns raised
Hale stated that she retains documentation supporting her concerns about grant administration and encouraged parents to request school records and board meeting minutes referencing recent decisions.
When reached on Monday for comment, a school official stated “no comment” and that they would forward our request to their board. We are still currently working to contact Hales for comment.
Shortly after reaching the school for comment, the staffer we spoke with and another unidentified staffer claimed that we were not allowed to take pictures of their sign from a public sidewalk. The unidentified male staffer also demanded information about our story, but then told us not to come on the property. The Prineville Review did not access any HDCA property at any time, including before the trespass warning.
It remains unclear whether either side plans legal action over the respective allegations.
The Prineville Review will continue to follow this story as details develop, including further comment from HDCA Board, Hale, and parents.
Note: This has been edited shortly after publication after Hale’s position was incorrectly attributed. We regret the error.
Mr. Alderman is an investigative journalist specializing in government transparency, non-profit accountability, consumer protection, and is a subject mater expert on Oregon’s public records and meetings laws. As a former U.S. Army Military Police Officer, he brings a disciplined investigative approach to his reporting that has frequently exposed ethics violations, financial mismanagement, and transparency failures by public officials and agencies.
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