The Roanoke City School Board met with Superintendent Dr. Rita Bishop and the school division attorney Monday in a closed meeting, where ramifications of the Department of Education report on the Standards of Learning scandal at William Fleming was the focus. What wasn’t decided, said Roanoke schools attorney Tim Spencer, was the fate of principal Susan Willis or four other Fleming staff members.
“There was no discussion of any personnel item with the school board, while the superintendent or the [school system’s] legal counsel was present,” said Spencer.
In fact, Bishop and an attorney for the school board were asked to leave the room at certain points in the meeting, said Spencer. School Board Chairman David Carson, Bishop and other board members in attendance let Spencer do the talking.
“This was just merely an opportunity for [the School Board] to receive [legal advice] … on process and procedures that are outlined by state regulations regarding personnel matters, as well as the legal ramifications and appropriate actions to be taken by the board and the school division, in regards to the report released by the Virginia Department of education,” Spencer said.
Spencer also said there was no timetable on deciding what to do about Willis, two hall principals, the testing coordinator and a special education specialist.
“This board had a number of questions [about] the process that we might see – should there be any adverse employment action,” he said.
Rita Bishop said in a statement released last week:
“Because the Department of Education report references personnel, I will not be taking any questions. We take allegations very seriously in everything we do. Students are always first. We self-reported a number of apparent violations that involved students and cooperated fully with the investigation. Once again, students are first. Further comment is not appropriate while we evaluate findings and develop action plans for moving forward-particularly insofar as they involve particular students and personnel. Apparent violations appear to be contained to a single school and should not affect the hard work of teachers at William Fleming and throughout the entire division. Any student issues will be addressed.”
