Mar. 3—An investigation into an allegation that Vigo County School Board member J.D. Skelton inappropriately visited and tried to influence a parent in relation to racial harassment allegations at West Vigo High School "found no criminal conduct or other misconduct occurred," according to a school board statement released Friday.

Bose, McKinney and Evans, legal counsel for the school board, investigated allegations that Skelton, then a newly elected board member, inappropriately visited and tried to influence Crystal Lowe, the mother of one of the West Vigo racial harassment victims.

According to the board statement issued Friday, the encounter in question occurred Nov. 30. At the time, Skelton had been elected to the school board but had not yet started his term or been sworn in.

"Mr. Skelton approached the district parent at her place of work with approval upon invitation from a third party who had spoken to the district parent to discuss certain inaccurate social media posts about the incidents at West Vigo High School, which incorrectly identified one of the students involved," the statement read.

"Both parties described the conversation as cordial and agree that the primary focus was Mr. Skelton seeking to enlist the district parent's help in getting the inaccurate social media posts taken down.

"The investigation did not find evidence that Mr. Skelton intended to impact the inquiry into race-based harassment at West Vigo High School or that Mr. Skelton threatened the district parent. According to both parties, they parted on civil terms. The investigation found no criminal conduct or other misconduct occurred," according to the statement.

Lowe disagrees with how the statement characterizes her meeting with Skelton.

"The things he said to me was to intimidate and influence the situation," she said. "He knows what he said to me that day, and I know what he said to me."

In January, she stated that Skelton did visit her at her workplace — in the Varsity Club room at Hulman Center, which requires membership to enter. Skelton was not a member.

"How professional is that? He's a newly elected board member. He has kids involved, and I'm a mother of one of the victims," she said in January. "How do you feel you can come to my job and speak to me about the situation?"

On Friday, she stated, "It's just weird how everything with this whole situation just keeps getting covered up."

She says she is dissatisfied with the school district's response and lack of transparency in the racial harassment investigation. She has filed a complaint with the Vigo County Sheriff's Office, and that investigation is ongoing.

She also disagreed with the school board's description of Skelton's visit to her at work.

Lowe said she never gave permission for Skelton to come talk to her and she told the Bose law firm "I never wanted him to talk to me, and someone else in a text can't give him permission to come talk to me."

Lowe, along with other parents, also has spoken with representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union to see "where we can go from here."

Skelton, Amy Lore, school board president, and Katie Shane, VCSC interim director of communications, met with the Tribune-Star Friday to provide the statement.

Skelton had no further comment beyond the board-issued statement when asked about the appropriateness of visiting Lowe at her workplace.

Skelton was also asked how he will address and rebuild possible mistrust and credibility issues on the part of people of color in the community.

"I do not condone any form of racism whatsoever and would love to have an open communication channel with anyone of color in Terre Haute to strengthen that relationship," he said. He is willing to meet personally with people, he said, or as a board member alongside the rest of the board.

The board wants to move on and "let that healing process start," he said.

He also has previously stated that "racial education needs to be addressed within the corporation and the school board, with future plans and policies to encourage change."

Lore was asked if the investigation into Skelton's conduct has been damaging in any way to the board as a whole.

She responded, "I think the board has important to work to do and it's important for us to put this behind us and focus on the superintendent search."

Shane said that the racial harassment investigation and district response "has been dealt with" as far as students and staff.

"We would like to move forward in a positive way, and that's the goal of the corporation and the board," she said.

Lore said the school board "was very concerned about fair treatment ... for everyone. According to the standards and the administrative guidelines that are based on board policy, we felt that was done."

The Tribune-Star made a public records request asking for the completed investigative report resulting from allegations of racial harassment at West Vigo.

It also requested the separate report involving the investigation of Skelton.

Both reports were denied, according to a Feb. 27 response from Bose, McKinney attorney Jonathan Mayes. For the overall investigation report, Mayes cited federal and state law as it relates to confidential student records.

Both reports involve deliberative material, which is exempt from disclosure under Indiana law, he stated.

Both also involve information that falls under attorney/client privilege. The Access to Public Records Act "expressly excepts these records from disclosure," Mayes wrote.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or at sue.loughlin@tribstar.com Follow Sue on Twitter @TribStarSue