SPRAGUE--Parents in Sprague have started a petition to have the superintendent of schools removed, and it gained the necessary number of registered voters' signatures to warrant a Board of Education hearing. It was also mentioned at a pre-planned Board of Ed meeting Wednesday night.
"I think we have enough support in town, and I think we have enough if you want to call it, 'evidence,' or paperwork that relates to her inefficiency of running this school," said Paul Martin, a Sprague parent of two who started the parent group.
Parents say their concerns about Superintendent Dr. Judy Benson-Clarke started when they noticed that a budget option was to cut kindergarten from full day to half day. That proposal didn't get approved, but it sparked a lot of questions from parents.
Parents then found new concerns regarding budget decisions and communication issues.
Sprague resident and parent Corey Wignall said, "From the superintendent and from the Board itself we weren't feeling heard and we weren't feeling respected."
Those parents will be heard Thursday night when the Board of Ed holds a special meeting scheduled in response to the petition. However, at Wednesday night's regularly scheduled meeting, parents did get chance to hear from Benson-Clarke's sister, who is also a lifelong Sprague resident.
"Dr. Judy Benson-Clarke is well-educated, well-spoken always a consummate professional, and I have no idea why anybody would want somebody like that out," said Wendy Schnip, the superintendent's sister.
Dr. Benson-Clarke also released a statement in her defense to FOX 61:
I want to personally thank the numerous parents teachers and students that have reached out with support over the past several months. Many of them know first/hand how much hard work has gone into the improvements and accomplishments that have been during my role as Superintendent. I have spent the past 28 years in this school system working to improve education for all of our students and with the Board of Educations full support I will continue to lead and nurture this district.
The special meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Sayles School media center.
Wignall said, "We're hoping that once [the Board] hears and sees us in numbers that they'll have a change of heart,"
