MANSFIELD — Michelle McCracken, the Hedges principal who was replaced by David Gilbert on Feb. 16, is fighting back.
McCracken’s attorney, Thomas Mason from Ashland, filed for a referee hearing after realizing the board of education’s intent to terminate her contract before its expiration on July 31, 2016.
According to district treasurer Robert Kuenhle, the hearing will occur in the next 30 days. But first, the board will receive a list of three referees from the Ohio Department of Education. Both sides are expected to agree on one of the referees before the 30-day time limit.
“If they don’t agree, the Ohio Department of Education will pick one for us,” Kuenhle explained. “The referee hears the case and makes a decision on whether the district should move forward with terminating her employment contract.”
Kuenhle said the referee’s decision is not binding, meaning the board could still choose to terminate McCracken’s contract even if the referee decides in her favor.
“I don’t know what they (the board) would do. We’ll show our evidence to the referee and we’ll see what happens from there,” Kuehnle said.
Board president Renda Cline said the board of education would go with whatever recommendation the superintendent gives.
“We look at the information and vote accordingly. So it depends on what the referee brings to light versus what the superintendent has found. But we would go with what the recommendation is from the superintendent,” Cline said Tuesday.
Cline declined to comment on the investigation into staff allegations against McCracken.
Mansfield’s Board of Education voted to non-renew McCracken’s administrator’s contract on Feb. 16. The action stemmed from a list of concerns shared with Superintendent Brian Garverick dating from September through November 2015.
Garverick sent a letter to McCracken on Wednesday, March 2, per revised code, with the intention of terminating her administrator’s contract “on the grounds of gross inefficiency, willful and persistent violations of reasonable regulations of the Board of Education, unprofessional behavior, discourteous treatment of students, teachers, and staff, and other good and just cause.”
Documents obtained by Richland Source reveal letters and emails from Hedges Campus staff members complaining of McCracken’s “lack of administrative oversight,” a phrase used by Garverick to explain the board’s decision to place her on administrative leave in February.
According to Mansfield Police records, a case was reported to them by Richland County Children Services and is “pending investigation.”
Complaints include McCracken’s alleged leniency in dealing with behavioral issues like students using excessive profanity and violence in the classroom. Letters also claim McCracken did not give fair classroom reviews. One teacher requested, through a letter to Garverick, to be reviewed by someone other than McCracken because, “she (McCracken) treats me in an unprofessional manner.”
