Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
The Francis Howell School District has fired Shelley Kelley, former principal of Francis Howell Union High School.
Kelley's attorney, Eric Lindhorst, on Thursday said he would appeal the case to circuit court if the district fired his client.
After a four-hour public hearing Thursday night, the Board of Education in closed session voted 5-1 to terminate Kelley. Board member Terry Black was absent. The district had not released the roll call vote as of Journal deadline Monday.
Lisa Grayson, mother of a Francis Howell Union student, on Monday said the board's decision disappointed her but did not surprise her.
"It seemed like she was the fall guy," Grayson said. "It felt like a witch hunt. They were out to get rid of her. Maybe Shelley was not as conventional as they wanted."
Francis Howell Union is an alternative program for students at risk of failing high school. It is located in the lower level of a building on the Francis Howell High School campus.
Grayson said her son, a senior, was failing school before he joined Union last year. Now he is on the honor roll, she said.
"I think Kelley had a lot to do with it," Grayson said. "She wanted kids to want to be there. She wanted them to succeed."
Grayson said her son was suspended in December for using inappropriate language, indicating that Kelley was not afraid to discipline students.
"But Mrs. Kelley has respect for these kids," Grayson said. "It is obvious when you are around her. In return, she gets respect from them."
The district placed Kelley on administrative leave in December. Superintendent Renee Schuster on Monday said the district had not begun searching for a new principal. For now, Francis Howell High School Associate Principal Krisandra Worley and Francis Howell Union Dean of Students Patti Lee will handle administrative duties, Schuster said.
The school is focused not on filling Kelley's position, but on helping students through the transition process, Schuster said.
"Many of the students are upset," Schuster said. "We are working with them in accepting that someone they cared about did not do the right thing."
Schuster and Steve Griggs, the district's chief human resources officer, said Kelley failed to discipline two students allegedly caught smoking marijuana last September on the school parking lot. District policy mandates a 10-day suspension and code of conduct hearing for any student caught with drugs on campus, followed by a possible 180-day suspension. Schuster and Griggs said Kelley showed "incompetence" by letting the students off with only a warning.
Testifying before the board Thursday, Kelley said a St. Charles County Sheriff's deputy on the scene said he could not arrest the students because he found nothing that could be identified as marijuana. Kelley said one of the students had been smoking a regular cigarette and received a one-day suspension. The other student dropped out of school the next day.
Lee testified that she and another school employee caught the students smoking marijuana in a car during lunch period. Lee said she smelled marijuana when the students rolled down the car window. Lee, a former police officer, said she told the students to step out of the vehicle. Lee said she searched the vehicle and found rolling paper and enough marijuana for one joint. Lee said she was surprised Kelley did not suspend the students.
Lee did not report the incident until December, when Griggs and Schuster questioned her after receiving anonymous complaints about Kelley. Lee said she did not report it sooner because she was afraid of retribution from Kelley, her immediate supervisor.
Lisha Hasty, a Francis Howell Union educational support counselor, testified in Kelley's defense. Hasty said the school was "chaotic" before Kelley became principal in the fall of 2007.
"The difference between then and now is astronomical," Hasty said. "Before, I would not even characterize it as a learning environment. Now kids are excited to come to school. I attribute that to Shelley Kelley."
About 45 students and parents attended the hearing Thursday night at the district central office. All of them seemed to support Kelley. Several crying students hugged her before and after the hearing.
Senior Kyle Martin, 17, said Kelley made Union students feel like a family.
"She is like our second mom," he said. "We could go to her when we needed her."
Martin said Kelley made him enjoy going to school, but now his feelings have changed.
"I don't like going to school anymore," he said. "They took away the only person in administration that cared about us. Now we are treated like low-life scum. Without Mrs. Kelley, there is no respect."
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: St.Louis Today
Author: Raymond Castile
Copyright: 2009 St.Louis Today
Contact: Suburban Journals | Contact Us |
Website: Suburban Journals | Education | Francis Howell school board fires principal
Kelley's attorney, Eric Lindhorst, on Thursday said he would appeal the case to circuit court if the district fired his client.
After a four-hour public hearing Thursday night, the Board of Education in closed session voted 5-1 to terminate Kelley. Board member Terry Black was absent. The district had not released the roll call vote as of Journal deadline Monday.
Lisa Grayson, mother of a Francis Howell Union student, on Monday said the board's decision disappointed her but did not surprise her.
"It seemed like she was the fall guy," Grayson said. "It felt like a witch hunt. They were out to get rid of her. Maybe Shelley was not as conventional as they wanted."
Francis Howell Union is an alternative program for students at risk of failing high school. It is located in the lower level of a building on the Francis Howell High School campus.
Grayson said her son, a senior, was failing school before he joined Union last year. Now he is on the honor roll, she said.
"I think Kelley had a lot to do with it," Grayson said. "She wanted kids to want to be there. She wanted them to succeed."
Grayson said her son was suspended in December for using inappropriate language, indicating that Kelley was not afraid to discipline students.
"But Mrs. Kelley has respect for these kids," Grayson said. "It is obvious when you are around her. In return, she gets respect from them."
The district placed Kelley on administrative leave in December. Superintendent Renee Schuster on Monday said the district had not begun searching for a new principal. For now, Francis Howell High School Associate Principal Krisandra Worley and Francis Howell Union Dean of Students Patti Lee will handle administrative duties, Schuster said.
The school is focused not on filling Kelley's position, but on helping students through the transition process, Schuster said.
"Many of the students are upset," Schuster said. "We are working with them in accepting that someone they cared about did not do the right thing."
Schuster and Steve Griggs, the district's chief human resources officer, said Kelley failed to discipline two students allegedly caught smoking marijuana last September on the school parking lot. District policy mandates a 10-day suspension and code of conduct hearing for any student caught with drugs on campus, followed by a possible 180-day suspension. Schuster and Griggs said Kelley showed "incompetence" by letting the students off with only a warning.
Testifying before the board Thursday, Kelley said a St. Charles County Sheriff's deputy on the scene said he could not arrest the students because he found nothing that could be identified as marijuana. Kelley said one of the students had been smoking a regular cigarette and received a one-day suspension. The other student dropped out of school the next day.
Lee testified that she and another school employee caught the students smoking marijuana in a car during lunch period. Lee said she smelled marijuana when the students rolled down the car window. Lee, a former police officer, said she told the students to step out of the vehicle. Lee said she searched the vehicle and found rolling paper and enough marijuana for one joint. Lee said she was surprised Kelley did not suspend the students.
Lee did not report the incident until December, when Griggs and Schuster questioned her after receiving anonymous complaints about Kelley. Lee said she did not report it sooner because she was afraid of retribution from Kelley, her immediate supervisor.
Lisha Hasty, a Francis Howell Union educational support counselor, testified in Kelley's defense. Hasty said the school was "chaotic" before Kelley became principal in the fall of 2007.
"The difference between then and now is astronomical," Hasty said. "Before, I would not even characterize it as a learning environment. Now kids are excited to come to school. I attribute that to Shelley Kelley."
About 45 students and parents attended the hearing Thursday night at the district central office. All of them seemed to support Kelley. Several crying students hugged her before and after the hearing.
Senior Kyle Martin, 17, said Kelley made Union students feel like a family.
"She is like our second mom," he said. "We could go to her when we needed her."
Martin said Kelley made him enjoy going to school, but now his feelings have changed.
"I don't like going to school anymore," he said. "They took away the only person in administration that cared about us. Now we are treated like low-life scum. Without Mrs. Kelley, there is no respect."
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: St.Louis Today
Author: Raymond Castile
Copyright: 2009 St.Louis Today
Contact: Suburban Journals | Contact Us |
Website: Suburban Journals | Education | Francis Howell school board fires principal
