Springville suspension explained
An uproar over the suspension of the athletic director in Springville-Griffith School District prompted the School Board on Tuesday to waive its policy against discussing personnel matters with the public.
More than 300 people attended the School Board meeting in Colden Middle School, where board President Michael Connors revealed that the district’s athletic director, William Dickinson, was placed on paid administrative leave because he lacks the necessary state certification to hold the position.
Dickinson, who was hired two years ago by the district, has been on administrative leave with pay but was recently informed that because of his lack of credentials, the district was discontinuing his salary.
Meanwhile, some residents who are upset over Dickinson’s plight and the fact that he is barred from district property without the permission of Superintendent Vicki A. Wright, on Tuesday requested that the superintendent resign.
“Our trust in her as our superintendent has been violated, and we do not wish to have her managing the affairs of our district any longer,” said James McCauley of Glenwood, reading from a prepared statement that he addressed to the board.
When McCauley asked those who supported the sentiments in the statement to stand as he read the statement, about three-quarters of the audience members rose to their feet.
During Tuesday’s meeting, it was revealed that Dickinson had been placed on administrative leave for admitting to the use of chewing tobacco at some student athletic events, which is a violation of district policy.
Because of that, Dickinson’s personnel record was pulled, and it was discovered that while he possessed the certification necessary to act as the district’s director of athletics, he was lacking the require certificates to be its coordinator of health and physical education, which are combined duties in the Springville-Griffith School District.
Board member Joan Kelly, who publicly read the contents of Dickinson’s record at the meeting, said his lack of qualifications for the job became of paramount concern.
Connors said the district’s hiring procedures have since been “tightened up.”
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