BY DAN NEWMAN
Staff Writer
DAN NEWMAN Signs protesting the resignations of MIddletown High School North Principal Jeff Simon and Assistant Principal Marleen O’Connor adorn a vehicle prior to a MIddletown Board of Education meeting last week. MIDDLETOWN – Loud music, T-shirts and a big crowd. This wasn’t a rock concert, but a Middletown Board of Education meeting, and it was a sellout in more ways than one.
As residents arrived at the High School North parking lot, the 80s song “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” blared from a stereo, with many bystanders wearing shirts that read, “Save O’Connor and Simon” in orange letters, referring to the recent resignations of North Principal Jeff Simon and Assistant Principal Marleen O’Connor. Although this was the case, some residents and parents thought there was more to it.
The meeting had to be moved from the library at High School North to the auditorium, and by the time everyone settled in, there were very few empty seats.
“People in town are tired of this dictatorship and we want it to stop,” resident and parent Jim Hoffman said as he held up a sign outside of the school inviting those driving past the Tindall Road building to come to the meeting, as if it were a car wash. “There’s no doubt that Mr. Simon and Mrs. O’Connor are being pushed out by this board and we’re here tonight because we don’t like it.”
Hoffman’s daughter, Kelli Ann, a student at North, spoke about how she and many others at the school are sad to see Simon and O’Connor go.
“I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like them,” Kelli Ann said after the meeting. “They’re good at what they do.”
Emotions ran high before the meeting, and continued inside by way of insults and criticisms hurled at the board.
“I didn’t think I moved to a district eight years ago that followed McCarthyism,” resident Cathie Stone said. “The board is forcing these fine people to resign, let’s be honest here. After this, I have zero respect for the Board of Education in this town.”
Students also took their shots at the board.
“What you’re doing is disgusting,” sophomore Leah Stone said. “Mr. Simon had control and kids respected him fully. You ought to reject the resignation that you forced.”
For about the last month, Simon has been out on sick leave and Assistant Superintendent Dan Skelton has been at the helm, a situation that some students say has not been good.
“Mr. Skelton is disruptive and the school feels a lot less like home lately,” student Brendan Flanagan said.
After hearing the public’s comments, the board unanimously voted to accept the resignations.
“We’re not here to be bashed, and this board will not discuss any personnel matters,” new board President Dawn Diorio said.
Although the board accepted the resignations, there were those who were still upset at the outcome.
“We supported these board members, and they’re not taking the kids’ best interests to heart,” local resident and parent Roseann Nardini said. “This is completely wrong. We’re paying people to do a job. Let them stay and do their job then. Enough is enough.”