Concerns Pertinent to the Professional Past and Present of Minneapolis Public Schools Senior Operations Officer Tom Parent: Sexual Harassment Settlement and Excessive Payments in School District Divisions under His Supervision

In October 2018, the St. Paul Public Schools (SPPS) Board of Education approved a $16,000 settlement to resolve a complaint filed by Lisa Jansen, who had been a planning manager for the district;  Jansen complained that Parent had unfairly targeted and fired her for being a strong woman who expressed concerns pertinent to SPPS facilities management for which Parent was responsible.  Parent faced other complaints regarding misogynistic treatment and creating a hostile work environment for women employed by the St. Paul Public Schools;  as part of the settlement, he was required to complete sensitivity training regarding harassment of and retaliation against women. 

 

Also occurring during Parent’s tenure at the St. Paul Public Schools was apparent responsibility for exceeding a Facilities Master Plan by $179 million;  evidence for the excessive payments was given in whistleblower and retaliation lawsuits involving SPPS finance officials.  This miscue in financial oversight is similar to $!6 million in overpayments for transportation and food services by the Minneapolis Public Schools Operations Division under Parent’s supervision;  these overpayments became evident in summer 2025 but were never reported to the MPS Board of Education by Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams.