GILBERT, Ariz. — A member of the Higley Unified School District Governing Board said she only knew about the sudden resignation of a popular school principal a few days before it was officially presented to the board.
The departure of Principal Chris Reuter from Power Ranch Elementary School has generated a significant backlash from parents and staff who feel the school district has mishandled the personnel change.
Last week, students and parents participated in a public protest to demonstrate their support for Reuter and demand answers from HUSD about the situation.
Now one of the district's elected leaders has released a statement clarifying that Reuter's exit had been managed by administrators and the human resources department.
Board member Anna Van Hoek said she was first informed of Reuter's resignation on Nov. 9, a few days before the board officially accepted his resignation on Nov. 15.
Van Hoek said the resignation was not connected to two board meetings held a couple of months ago about turnover rates at Power Ranch Elementary, nor was there a discussion of it being connected to a police investigation into a former teacher.
"This was completely unrelated to the issue from the turnover rate discussion and there was no discussion, and/or an investigation related to a former teacher’s arrest," the board member wrote in her statement.
But Van Hoek's statement offered little explanation for Reuter's resignation, emphasizing that "personnel matters are extremely sensitive and, by law, cannot be disclosed in detail."
Van Hoek said she's urging the school district to disclose some information about the situation without having to release the actual reason for the resignation.
"My commitment is to consistently prioritize integrity and transparency, aspiring to set the utmost standards and serve as a positive model for our HUSD community, rather than merely meeting the minimum legal requirements," Van Hoek said.
A spokesperson for HUSD has previously said that Reuter's decision to resign was a "mutual" one.
UP TO SPEED
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.