Principal's Tenure Vote Spurs Letters to BOE

The decision on the part of the Board of Education last week to deny tenure to a district principal has spurred several letters to board members and at least one online petition.

A majority of board members voted against granting tenure to Allison McConnell, the current principal of .

If tenured, McConnell, who has nine years of teaching experience according to public records, would have earned $121,847 during the 2012-13 school year.

Several parents have penned letters to board members following the vote in support of McConnell, which they forwarded to Brick Patch.

"It takes time to build trusting relationships with our children and she has succeeded in doing just that," wrote Lori Verdesco in such a letter.

A Google search revealed at least one petition had been created on the subject.

Board President Sharon Kight said details as to why McConnell was not granted tenure could not be discussed publicly due to privacy laws, but the matter was reviewed by the board's human resources committee before the public vote was taken last Thursday.

Kight said state law will allow McConnell to have an opportunity to address the board in private during a hearing.

"We're going to get together and discuss it further," Kight said.

"We didn't want to make a vote that would be irreversible," she added.

If she is not recommended for tenure following the hearing before the board, McConnell would revert back to her previous position as assistant principal.

McConnell, in an e-mail to Brick Patch on Monday, declined to comment.