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Dissention at NR-W
Louise Hoffman Broach | Wayuga Editor
Tuesday, June 30 2009
Miner won’t stayafter 2010
NORTH ROSE – NR-W School Superintendent Lucinda Miner told the school board June 23 she has changed her mind about extending her contact with the district, saying politics have once again raised their head in the district.
Miner, who still has another year to serve before the end of her three-degree agreement, read the board a three-page statement saying the process under which she was appointed permanently two years ago was “very political,” and she sees it happening again.
“The board became very political, the board became divided and openly fought, illegal private meetings occurred to form alliances, untruths were spread [and] deals were made to get the necessary votes for me,” Miner said in her statement.
The then head of the teacher’s union, purporting to be someone else, was caught sending what she thought was an anonymous email to another candidate for the position, warning her away. Later, some board members defended the teacher, a close friend of Miner’s, while others strongly disagreed with the teacher’s actions. She was counseled, but not disciplined.
“Politics have started up again and I do not think this direction would be healthy for the district. The same people who didn’t support me two years ago have been out there stirring up the waters, telling untruths and even stating they have a score to settle,” Miner told the board from her statement. “I am not interested in a contract renewal. By you as a board doing nothing, my contract will expire June 30, 2010. It is my hope that by me stating this now, you as a board will stop being divisive, stop fighting among yourselves, stop having private meetings to form alliances and other negative actions.”
She said the behavior was bad for the district and she wanted it to stop.
Later in the meeting, however, a retiring teacher said while he respects some of the decisions that Miner has made, he described what he called a climate of fear surrounding her among the district’s staff and suggested she herself was responsible for some of the negativity.
Frank Sobierajski, a 25-year district veteran who also read a statement, said too many people fear and mistrust Miner and the board should assess the situation before offering her a new contract.
“The relationship between the current superintendent and the staff is not conducive to a healthy working environment. As one of the few people who gets around the district and talks to lots of people, I have first-hand knowledge of the discontent. The board would be wise to step back and speak with employees and assess the situation before a new contract for this superintendent is approved.”
He also criticized the district with moving ahead with continued actions to close Florentine Hendrick; Sobierajski said teachers were not consulted enough before decisions were made.
Board President Nicky Henner, who has been one of Miner’s defenders, said the district is a better place because of Miner’s work during the past three years, the first when she served as interim superintendent. Henner said the attitude in the district was chauvinistic, that a male administrator would not be described as bossy, but strong and courageous, which is how Henner described Miner’s leadership style.
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