https://www.twincities.com/2026/06/26/parent-sues-st-paul-academy-alleges-sons-expulsion-was-retaliation/

A parent has sued a private St. Paul school, alleging St. Paul Academy and Summit School retaliated against his family for his criticism of school leadership.

Matthew Bauer, of Roseville, claims in the lawsuit, filed earlier this week, that his children’s enrollment at St. Paul Academy and Summit School was threatened when Head of the School Luis Ottley learned of a community dinner hosted by Bauer where he brought up concerns with the school. The dinner later led Bauer to draft a letter expressing no confidence in Ottley which was distributed among school members, according to the lawsuit.

Upon Ottley learning of the draft letter, Bauer’s 10th grade son’s enrollment with the school for the 2026-27 school year was terminated and Ottley threatened to expel Bauer’s 12th grade son just weeks before graduation “to coerce the Bauer family into silence,” according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also claims Bauer’s younger son, the 10th grader, who has attended the school for three years, “suffered emotional distress from the public stigmatization of his family and the loss of his planned educational future,” and Ottley’s response to the draft letter has damaged the reputation of Bauer, who also is a Roseville city council member.

Calls to Bauer and his attorney seeking comment were not returned. A representative for St. Paul Academy did not respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

Several parents of students at the school declined to comment or speak on the record saying they feared retaliation by the school.

Ahead of the dinner

Among the concerns brought up in the draft letter were multiple incidents of sexual harassment of female students by other students which were reported in fall 2024, according the lawsuit. This included sexually explicit lists involving the female students. While these incidents were reported to school administration, the school did not impose any corrective action against the students responsible for the lists, according to the lawsuit.

Outside counsel investigated the issue but a report on the matter was never released to the families and the school’s only public response was a small revision to its sexual harassment policy, the lawsuit claims.

Around this time, the school’s student newspaper published an article examining the revised policy, which included an interview with Ottley. Ottley pressured the students to remove the interview and the article was eventually removed entirely, according to the lawsuit.

Based on Bauer’s February dinner, these issues were of significant concern to school members. The dinner was attended by parents, alumni, faculty, staff and a board member, according to the lawsuit.

Though the letter was addressed to the school’s Board of Trustees, it was never shared by Bauer outside of a group of attendees from February’s dinner, according to the lawsuit.

Ottley response

Ottley responded to the draft letter in a school-wide email in late February, the lawsuit states. Ottley’s response made Bauer identifiable as the author of the letter, the lawsuit adds.

“This is troubling for a number of reasons, not least of which are the many unsubstantiated and false claims about the school’s operations, financial outlook, and strategic success,” Ottley wrote in the Feb. 26 email, according to the lawsuit.

The day after Ottley’s email was sent, the school accepted the 2026-2027 re-enrollment contract for Bauer’s younger son.

In March, the board’s president issued a letter expressing support for Ottley, purportedly on behalf of the entire board, the lawsuit said.

Bauer at the time expressed doubt that the board was unified in its support of Ottley, according to the lawsuit, but decided the draft letter would not be sent to the board.

Termination

Ottley emailed Bauer on March 2 alleging Bauer had “engaged in conversations that discredit the school and its leadership” and “attempted to undermine the community’s confidence in the school through social gatherings and petitions,” according to the lawsuit.

Ottley wanted to meet with Bauer about his involvement with the no confidence letter, but — following scheduling conflicts for Bauer — Bauer requested that Ottley share his concerns in writing, the lawsuit states.

On April 13, Ottley sent Bauer a formal letter voiding the 2026-2027 re-enrollment contract for Bauer’s younger son and threatened to expel both Bauer children at the school, according to the lawsuit.

Application deadlines for other independent schools in the metro closed in January and February, leaving Bauer’s son without an equivalent fall alternative.

Ottley attributed the decision to Bauer’s “recent actions and deeds” and “efforts to undermine community trust, and specifically your authorship and distribution of a no-confidence letter seeking other community members’ signatures,” states the lawsuit.

“Please know that completion of the current school year is strictly contingent upon your cooperation and partnership,” the termination letter stated. “If you fail to act as constructive partners or if you engage in disparaging and disruptive actions contrary to the policies set forth in the student-family handbook and in violation of the agreements articulated in your enrollment contract, your family’s enrollment will be terminated immediately.”

Other parents have also been threatened by Ottley with termination of their re-enrollment contracts for the upcoming school year, states the lawsuit.

SPA contract language

According to the 2026–2027 Re-Enrollment Contract, which was rewritten from previous years, SPA may act against a family member who “engages in behavior, communications, or interactions, that are inappropriate, intimidating, violent or overly aggressive, or seriously interfere with the School’s policies or procedures, responsibilities, or accomplishment of its educational purpose or program.”

Bauer was forced to delay filing the lawsuit due to the ongoing threat to his older son’s enrollment at the school during the final weeks of his senior year, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges SPA breached its re-enrollment contract with Bauer when Ottley voided it for Bauer’s younger son, his son was expelled in bad faith, and that his son is entitled to continue his education at the school for the upcoming school year.

Lawsuit: Loss of donations

The school enrolled 952 pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students during the 2025-2026 school year with an average class size of 13.

In the four years since Ottley began as head of school, SPA has experienced an increased number of retirements and staff departures, according to the lawsuit. At least three board members have resigned in the last year.

A capital campaign for the school’s teacher endowment, which was projected to raise approximately $1 million, raised just $10,000, according to the lawsuit. A donor who had been prepared to donate $1 million in fall 2025 to SPA’s teacher endowment fund withdrew the gift, citing loss of confidence in Dr. Ottley.

In his Feb. 26 school-wide email responding to the no-confidence letter, Ottley cited record high enrollment for the school, a $73 million endowment and successful SPA programming.