California IN BRIEF : CLOVIS : 5 Women Drop Sex Harassment Claims

Five women who charged acting Clovis schools chief Kent Bishop with sexual harassment have dropped their claims for fear that their names will become public. The five were among eight women who alleged anonymously after Bishop was appointed in December that he had harassed them individually at various times over the years. The Clovis school board retained a San Francisco mediator, Vivien Williamson, to obtain statements from the women. However, their lawyer, Katherine Hart, announced Thursday that they are unwilling to sign statements made to the mediator because that could lead to disclosure of their names. “They are afraid of retaliation, reprisal, a loss of privacy and don’t want to open themselves to legal liability,” Hart said. Bishop has denied all allegations of sexual harassment. The status of allegations against him by three other women was unclear.