A St. Paul Public Schools athletics administrator has resigned from his post.
Monroe Denarvise Thornton’s last day with the school district was Nov. 18, according to documents released ahead of the St. Paul school board’s Tuesday meeting. His departure is described in human resources disclosures as a resignation.
He did not immediately return a Wednesday call seeking comment on his resignation. Members of the St. Paul school board didn’t immediately return requests Wednesday for comment on the resignation.
Thornton, 54, had been accused of sex discrimination and harassment by subordinates.
Details on any possible separation deal, including severance pay or the reason for the resignation, were not immediately available Wednesday.
There is no public record of Thornton facing discipline for allegations of harassment or discrimination based on sex, and the district had already closed investigations of the complaints against him when they became public this summer.
No immediate plans to hire new athletics director
In an email to the Pioneer Press, SPPS spokeswoman Erica Wacker confirmed Thornton’s resignation and said the district has not found a permanent replacement.
“The district does not have immediate plans to hire a new athletic director,” she said. “Executive Chief of Schools and Learning Andrew Collins is overseeing athletics and supporting each school’s athletic directors and coaching staff.”
SPPS hired Thornton in 2021 to serve as the school district’s full-time athletics director.
He was tasked with evaluating school sports programs, overseeing the district athletics budget, and mentoring high school athletics directors, who reported to him instead of their school principals.
Complaints
Complaints obtained by the Pioneer Press last summer detailed allegations of harassment by Thornton during his tenure as athletics director. One from three months after Thornton’s hiring detailed an alleged incident in 2021 where the director drank heavily during a state athletics administrators conference in St. Cloud.
A co-worker claimed the married Thornton made “inappropriate passes” at a female ticketing company vendor, and called her at 2 a.m. According to the co-worker’s complaint, the woman was so uncomfortable she asked a district employee to escort her back to her hotel.
A female high school coach made a complaint alleging Thornton told her he had saved her phone number in his contacts as “Bacon.” When she asked why, Thornton reportedly replied: “You know, thick and juicy!” The next day, he sent her an image of bacon sizzling in a pan, per the complaint.