Oxford school board faces calls for resignation amid superintendent search
OXFORD, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – Thursday marks two years since the Oxford High School shooting. Since then, the district faced criticisms of its handling of the shooting and leadership changes.
Tuesday night, the Oxford Community Schools board took the next steps toward finding a new superintendent, but for some, a new superintendent is not enough. They want board members to resign.
At the meeting, Oxford community members demanded accountability from the school board.
"Tate, Hana, Madisyn, and Justin did not die for you to have a second chance at doing your job," said one person during a public comment.
Students criticized the board for preventing a tragedy they saw as preventable, as well as for the handling of the aftermath.
"You were responsible for keeping us safe. We trusted you. You will never earn that trust back," one student said to the board.
"It's not appropriate for you to be here, to show your faces in this district. Leave, resign. We don't want you here," another said.
Before the students' passionate comments, the board heard from three search firms vying for the job of finding the district's new superintendent.
The board unanimously voted to hire Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates to conduct the search.
"We feel it's really important that the board, the community, the parents, the staff, the administrators, they all should know what do the students think of your district," said a representative of the firm.
HYA will next meet with the school board and begin its search for superintendent candidates as early as January. They will be looking for the person who will replace the current interim superintendent, Vickie Markavitch.
As for the students and community members who spoke out Tuesday night, they said they won't stop until board members resign.
