Farmington School Superintendent Herrera & Two Board Members Resign Amidst Harassment Claims
CBS Detroit - Farmington School Board Superintendant Robert Herrera resigned along with School board Vice President Terri Johnson and President Pamela Green, citing online, public, and school board staff harassment. In a report by Hometown Life, Herrera announced his resignation citing harassment from Board Secretary Angie Smith.
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Credit: Farmington Public Schools - Robert Herrera
Herrera was appointed in May of 2019, will continue as Superintendent through January 22, 2021. Then he will take a work leave and remain on as an advisor until June 30, 2021. His resignation agreement bars him from pursuing legal action against the district. In the agreement, it is alleged Smith claimed he was prejudiced against black staff and students.
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According to Hometown Life, the school board lamented his decision but noted 'improper conduct' among board members has been an issue for years. School Board vice-President Johnson said, "I think he's done a good job so far and I think it's the loss of this district. He's really the right man for this job." President Green said, "I truly believe that he was the person," adding, "His skill set was nothing like we've ever seen in this district. So, this is painful. Very painful."
In the 90-minute closed Zoom meeting, the board censured Smith and publicly disapproved of her actions. Apparently, she was having personal conflict and technical issues at the time was in and out of the meeting. She wasn't present for the 5-1 censure vote against her, the dissenting vote in Smith's favor was cast by Board Treasurer Terri Weems.
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At end of the meeting, Johnson and Green announced their resignations, taking effect by the end of the week. They cited improper conduct by the board for their resignations.
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