Longtime San Leandro Unified School District Superintendent Mike McLaughlin was placed on paid administrative leave late Tuesday amid claims he acted inappropriately with another district official during a work retreat. It is unclear when or where the retreat was, but three sources with direct kn owledge of the complaints tell NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit the outing involved Superintendent McLaughlin and his directors. They say alcohol was involved, and McLaughlin made unwanted advances towards a female manager. At one point, he physically touched her, they said. According to the school district and SLUSD’s board president, multiple district employees came forward about the incident, which the board determined, if true, violated Board policies and the district’s rules of conduct. The district has hired an independent investigator. The Investigative Unit reached out to McLaughlin multiple times but has not heard back. McLaughlin has held his position as superintendent of San Leandro Unified School District for 13 years. According to his contract, his base pay is $390,352. Transparent California, a public database for government employee salaries, shows he receives other pay and benefits where his total compensation annually is $523,138.   “The important thing in an investigation is to maintain neutrality,” said Maureen Clark with ThreeSixty HR. Her consulting company conducts human resources investigations. Clark is not associated with SLUSD or the ongoing investigation. She said it makes sense McLaughlin is on paid leave. “You would pay it because you don’t know yet what the facts of the situation area,” she said. In a joint statement to the Investigative Unit, SLUSD and its school board president said, “The action is the immediate result of allegations made by district employees regarding inappropriate conduct in violation of Board policies and the district’s rules of conduct… The district has also immediately initiated an independent investigation into the allegations while the superintendent is on administrative leave.” They said they couldn’t provide more details until the investigation is complete and the Board of Trustees takes appropriate action. The district’s Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Donal Patel will be serving as acting superintendent during McLaughlin’s absence. ...read more read less