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FLINT - The longest-serving principal in the Flint School District has been suspended without pay for two weeks for numerous offenses, including "lying" and not maintaining a safe environment for children.
Robert Simmons, a principal in the district for about 35 years, was suspended Friday following complaints from parents and staff at Eisenhower Elementary, 1235 Pershing St.
More than 20 Eisenhower staff and parents attended a Flint Board of Education meeting Wednesday to complain about Simmons.
The suspension letter issued to Simmons was obtained by The Flint Journal under a Michigan Freedom of Information Act request. The letter said Simmons was being suspended for insubordination, failure to accept job responsibilities, failure to follow district practices regarding Title I budgets, lying and failure to maintain a safe environment.
The suspension letter also stat
ed that Simmons once refused to go outside of
the school to stop a student fight because he was "too busy." The letter stated further problems could lead to Simmons' termination.
The Flint Journal was unable to reach Simmons for comment Thursday or this morning.
Parent Stanley Wood said he was pleased to hear about the two-week unpaid suspension and is hopeful Simmons won't return to the school when the suspension is over at the end of the month.
"There's absolutely no way this can be reconciled," Wood said. "I think the gentleman should be terminated or put in an administrative position that does not require interaction with parents and children."
Simmons, 69, served as principal at Stewart Elementary School for nearly 30 years before being transferred to Eisenhower in August. Former deputy superintendent Linda Caine-Smith was given Simmons' job at Stewart after her position as co-chief of schools was eliminated. Simmons has worked in
the district since February 1960, becoming a principal in 1970.
Parent Andre Cooks said his 5-year-
old son, attending the pre-kindergarten class at Eisenhower, was refused lunch on three different occasions due to an order by Simmons that lunchroom personnel were not to serve any food until he was in the cafeteria.
"The children would sit at the tables looking at the food that they couldn't eat," Cooks said.
Many of the allegations against Simmons involved the cafeteria and school parking lot and the lack of proper supervision in those areas.
Cooks said his children have attended Eisenhower for several years, but he recently sold his house and will move to the Carman-Ainsworth School District specifically because of the problems at the school this year.
Cooks and Wood said parents and teachers have complained about Simmons since the start of the school year and they are concerned it took the district so long to react.
Interim Superintendent Ira Rutherfor
d declined to comment about Simmons because it was a personnel issue that could not be discussed.
"I don't want to talk too much abou
t that except to say we're on top of the situation," said Rutherford, who started as interim superintendent Feb. 14. "We'll take care of it."
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index....83496133390.xml
FLINT - The longest-serving principal in the Flint School District has been suspended without pay for two weeks for numerous offenses, including "lying" and not maintaining a safe environment for children.
Robert Simmons, a principal in the district for about 35 years, was suspended Friday following complaints from parents and staff at Eisenhower Elementary, 1235 Pershing St.
More than 20 Eisenhower staff and parents attended a Flint Board of Education meeting Wednesday to complain about Simmons.
The suspension letter issued to Simmons was obtained by The Flint Journal under a Michigan Freedom of Information Act request. The letter said Simmons was being suspended for insubordination, failure to accept job responsibilities, failure to follow district practices regarding Title I budgets, lying and failure to maintain a safe environment.
The suspension letter also stat
ed that Simmons once refused to go outside of
the school to stop a student fight because he was "too busy." The letter stated further problems could lead to Simmons' termination.
The Flint Journal was unable to reach Simmons for comment Thursday or this morning.
Parent Stanley Wood said he was pleased to hear about the two-week unpaid suspension and is hopeful Simmons won't return to the school when the suspension is over at the end of the month.
"There's absolutely no way this can be reconciled," Wood said. "I think the gentleman should be terminated or put in an administrative position that does not require interaction with parents and children."
Simmons, 69, served as principal at Stewart Elementary School for nearly 30 years before being transferred to Eisenhower in August. Former deputy superintendent Linda Caine-Smith was given Simmons' job at Stewart after her position as co-chief of schools was eliminated. Simmons has worked in
the district since February 1960, becoming a principal in 1970.
Parent Andre Cooks said his 5-year-
old son, attending the pre-kindergarten class at Eisenhower, was refused lunch on three different occasions due to an order by Simmons that lunchroom personnel were not to serve any food until he was in the cafeteria.
"The children would sit at the tables looking at the food that they couldn't eat," Cooks said.
Many of the allegations against Simmons involved the cafeteria and school parking lot and the lack of proper supervision in those areas.
Cooks said his children have attended Eisenhower for several years, but he recently sold his house and will move to the Carman-Ainsworth School District specifically because of the problems at the school this year.
Cooks and Wood said parents and teachers have complained about Simmons since the start of the school year and they are concerned it took the district so long to react.
Interim Superintendent Ira Rutherfor
d declined to comment about Simmons because it was a personnel issue that could not be discussed.
"I don't want to talk too much abou
t that except to say we're on top of the situation," said Rutherford, who started as interim superintendent Feb. 14. "We'll take care of it."
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index....83496133390.xml
