As the saga surrounding the School Committee, Superintendent Kristen Vogel, and unhappy teachers and parents continues, town resident Jim Crawford has started a petition to terminate Vogel’s contract.
The petition, created on Nov. 21, is available on Change.org and has received 284 signatures. The petition’s goal is 500 signatures.
“The Lynnfield School Committee refuses to genuinely acknowledge the issues in the Lynnfield schools and to hold Superintendent Vogel responsible,” the page for the petition reads. “They have had plenty of time to compromise and work with the public and have shown zero interest in doing so. Please sign this petition in support of an effort to force the School Committee to wake up and terminate Ms. Vogel’s contract before she can continue to damage our once-great school system, ruin the traditions we love, and push her agenda.”
During a School Committee meeting last week, Crawford informed the public about the details regarding the petition. He described the approach of the committee and superintendent as dismissive and referred to a lack of accountability regarding the concerns of parents and teachers.
“There’s a number of people in this room who said they’ve been after you for months, if not years,” Crawford said. “You have been hearing from us. You’ve been dismissive. The statement that started the meeting last week was dismissive and took no accountability.”
He commented on Vogel’s response to the public-speaking segment in the previous week. Vogel, who had been taking notes throughout the public-speaking segment of the meeting, was asked by the audience to “look up.”
“The behavior and body language of the committee and superintendent was an embarrassment,” Crawford said. “Ms. Vogel couldn’t bring herself to show the absolute minimum amount of respect and look at the speakers who were talking to her. Another committee member sat there with a smirk on his face the entire night and I would love to know what he found so amusing. The committee has been unresponsive and unwilling to engage in opposing views. And when they do answer, it’s vague and condescending.”
