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Updated 09/27/2010 07:12 AM

Parents angry at district personnel changes

By: Katie Gibas

Parents are outraged and demanding answers from the Jordan-Elbridge School District and Board of Education, after sudden staffing changes left two people on paid suspensions. As our Katie Gibas reports, parents are taking matters into their own hands to get their questions answered.

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ELBRIDGE, N.Y. -- Parents in the Jordan-Elbridge School District say enough is enough when it comes to the actions of the current Board of Education.

"We would go to board meetings and they would say present your questions. And we would, and the answers we would get are "cannot comment," "cannot comment," "cannot comment." Well, we would keep going to the next board meeting and the same thing," said Mary Jo Wick, a Jordan-Elbridge parent.

They are particularly concerned about the sudden staffing changes across the district, including the suspension of High School Principal David Zehner last week.

"The kids do feel that because that familiar face that gave them comfort when they walked in, either on the first day or even in the middle of the school year. Those principals, they know their students by name. And boomp, they're yanked. And for what?" said Gary Goodrich, a Jordan-Elbridge parent.

Wick added, "The teachers are affected. Their morale is affected when the person that they look up to for help is ripped out of the school."

Instead of waiting around to see what happens, parents in the Jordan-Elbridge School District have taken matters into their own hands. They help a meeting Sunday night to discuss the personnel changes and also to discuss what their plan of action will be for the next Board of Education meeting.

"We need communication and we need unity. That's what we need from our board," said Goodrich.

Zehner has filed suit against the district. He read a statement at Sunday's meeting saying that the district hasn't even filed any charges against him.

Zehner said, "Since they have refused to talk to me for months about any issues they might have regarding my performance, I'm very concerned as a taxpayer, resident and parent that they have not done their due diligence when making this vote."

Questions from the meeting will be written up and presented to the board before the next meeting October 6th at 7 p.m. in the high school Library.

We did speak with the board president who says she can't comment on personnel issues, but as soon as she has any information she can release, she will.