Supporters of Superintendent of Schools Judith A. Palmer are literally rallying the troops for a rally next week.
Meanwhile, two employees of the school district have resigned over tensions with the Board of Education.
Sarah Schwab Beauprey, a resident and supporter of the superintendent, said they will be having a rally on Tuesday, June 15 at 6 p.m. at Oxford High School to show support for the district’s top employee.
“I think she (Palmer) does a great job,’‘ said Schwab Beauprey, who has also created a Facebook page for Palmer called: Save our Superintendent Judith A. Palmer.
At issue is Palmer’s contract.
On May 19, the BOE abruptly decided to void the superintendent’s contract and extend her employment only until June 30. Board members said they wanted time to be able to do a complete evaluation of Palmer.
The board said they voided the contract because of conflicting language in it, yet they have not gone public as to what that language was. Some action on Palmer’s contract was scheduled for a BOE meeting on June 8, but the meeting was cancelled due to a lack of quorum.
The next regular scheduled meeting of the BOE is set for July 13, long after Palmer’s extension expires.
Schwab Beauprey said they decided to do the rally to show the BOE and the community that, “we are behind Dr.Palmer,’‘ and want the BOE to negotiate a new contract with her.
“The rally is to show support for Dr. Palmer. Many in the community are upset over the way the BOE handled the situation with Dr. Palmer and wish that a discussion were held with Dr. Palmer rather than voiding her contract,’‘ she said.
The board’s attorney, Michael McKeon, did not return calls Thursday. Palmer did not return calls Thursday.
Meanwhile, Al Pullo, the district’s business manager has resigned, as has Rose Forzano, who is the administrative assistant to Palmer.
Forzano said she resigned because of the direction the board is going in regard to Palmer.
“I have to protect my future,’‘ she said. Forzano has been administrative assistant for five years and has been with the district since 1998.
Pullo also said he felt he was being pushed out.
He said he saw the “writing on the wall, ‘’ in January when he and Palmer prepared the budget and then were excused from attending any budget session meetings.
He also said he had learned his contract was also under review by the BOE. He said he will be leaving June 30, but has taken a new job with the Woodbridge school system in a similar position.
He said things were running smoothly before the election when Republicans replaced Democrats on the board.
He called actions by the BOE, “erratic,’‘ and said the district “was not a productive environment.’‘ He would have been with the district a year on July 1.
Former First Selectwoman Kathy Johnson, who said she was speaking “strictly as a citizen,’‘ said did not like the way the board handled Palmer’s contract, calling it “a witch hunt.’‘
She said she was also saddened to learn Pullo and Forzano had resigned. “You just don’t treat people like this and I don’t like to see something like this happening in my hometown.’‘
