Advertisement
“We want to be out and raise awareness that everyone has an opinion,” said organizer Tammy Gensch, who returned in the afternoon with a few of the parents.
 |
Parents of West salem Elementary School walk a picket line in front of the school to protest the return of principal John Smalley. Dick Riniker photo |
West Salem Police Chief Charles Ashbeck said the group was cooperative, and no problems were reported.
“We explained the rules to begin with, and they explained they didn’t want any trouble,” Ashbeck said.
The protest marked the first day back for Principal John J. Smalley, reinstated after the district fired him Jan. 25 for what was termed “neglect of duty and dishonesty surrounding his job performance in recent months.”
Smalley, principal since 2005, had been placed on administrative leave Dec. 11, 2007, two days after he was arrested for a reported domestic disturbance with his wife.
He later was charged with battery and disorderly conduct in La Crosse County Circuit Court but pleaded guilty March 5 to disorderly conduct in return for dropping the battery charge. The disorderly charge can be dismissed in a year if Smalley meets conditions of the agreement.
In April, the district reinstated Smalley as principal, reimbursed his lost salary and benefits, and put him back on paid administrative leave.
Then Thursday, the West Salem School Board announced it had rescinded Smalley’s dismissal because “it had received erroneous legal advice regarding its decision.”
An investigator later determined there was insufficient evidence to terminate or otherwise discipline Smalley, according to the board statement.
“You have to understand that the district is constrained by the (employment) laws
that apply to it,” Shana Lewis, a Madison attorney who now represents the district
on the Smalley matter, said at Monday’s school board meeting. “So please, if you
have a specific complaint, file it, but recognize that your school board can only do so much.”
Tribune corespondent Brad Bryan contributed to this report.
