HANSON, Mass. — Some parents and students are calling for the resignation of the Superintendent of Whitman-Hanson Regional Schools after getting no answers to their concerns over the budget deficit and sudden layoffs.
“Mister superintendent, who couldn’t even show up again, you work for us – where were you when our students sat here sharing with you their concerns?” said Jennifer Roback, a parent who spoke during public comment on Tuesday.
Families are frustrated after seeing Superintendent Jeffrey Szymaniak didn’t show up to Tuesday’s special meeting after missing the other school committee meeting last week.
“Mr. Szymaniak, if you were here even now to listen to me, are you a coward or are you scared of your own students?” said Ella Leach, a student.
The community is calling for answers after the superintendent announced a surprise $1.39 million budget deficit, which led to the layoffs of about two dozen teachers and paraprofessionals last week.
“If you cannot stand here and listen to what your community and our students say, you need to resign! Enough!” said Roback.
“If he takes responsibility for the problem, which he was on TV saying, then it should lie with him and he should be ousted,” said Richard Rosen, during public comment.
The school committee members were supposed to make a statement at this meeting but decided not to, leaving people even more confused.
Those members spent nearly 3 hours in a closed-door meeting last week and have yet to explain next steps on these leadership concerns and budget issues.
“I know it’s disappointing that we can’t speak on things, but if we’re moving in the direction of what’s best for students, which I know everybody in this room wants, I think undermining any action or process that we’d choose to move forward with would be not advisable,” said Rosemary Hill, a school committee member. “And there are other things we can talk about or move for the next meeting that indicate that we are moving towards transparency.”
One of the school committee members resigned last week after an emotional late-night meeting, so the committee had to reorganize on Tuesday and nominated a new chair and vice chair.
There will be another meeting next Wednesday night at 6:30PM, and according to the agenda, the superintendent is supposed to speak.
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