MONROE — Monroe School Board members Monday night swiftly approved a separation deal with Superintendent Justin Blasko, who will receive nearly $400,000 in severance pay.
Some terms of the agreement drew fire from parents, but they generally agreed with district leaders that it’s time to move forward with a new leader for Monroe schools.
“We acknowledge that this has been a lengthy process that has been challenging for everyone involved. Now that we have resolution, it is our hope that this will help us all begin to heal as a district and community so that we can move forward together for the benefit of our students,” Board President Jennifer Bumpus said in a prepared statement on behalf of all five directors. No other board members spoke ahead of their vote.
Melanie Ryan, president of the Monroe Equity Council, helped bring complaints about Blasko to light. She said she is “deeply relieved” that the district will hire new leadership.
“We are relieved that we can stop focusing on Dr. Blasko and we can focus solely on making sure that our students, our families, our staff are safe and that they are in an environment that is equitable and inclusive,” she said.
On Monday night, the board authorized Bumpus to sign the separation agreement. It requires Blasko resign on July 31 and agree not to sue or seek a job with the district ever again.
The agreement also specifies Director Chuck Whitfield serve as the point of contact for future employment inquiries about Blasko. Whitfield is the only board member who served when Blasko was hired as superintendent. He supported Blasko’s hiring and voted last summer to extend his contract to 2025.
Whitfield declined comment on his inclusion in the agreement.
Blasko requested Whitfield as the point of contact, the district’s legal team told The Daily Herald in an email Tuesday. He did so because Whitfield is the board member with the longest tenure and would have “the most insight to provide on Dr. Blasko’s performance as superintendent,” the lawyers wrote.
The district lawyers declined to elaborate further about the negotiations.
In public comments Monday night, two parents cited concerns with seeing Whitfield’s name in the deal.
“I hope each and every one of you is asking yourself, ‘Why Chuck?’” said Melanie Lockhart, a parent. “While I understand that part of a negotiation requires some compromises and there are elements the public will never know, I hope you can understand and respect that from a public perspective, this looks an awful lot like a you-scratch-my-back-I-scratch-yours scenario.”
Lockhart quoted from text messages obtained through a public records request that show Whitfield texting with Blasko ahead of a meeting Dec. 13, when Blasko was put on paid administrative leave.
“I’m working on my defense of your performance and competency for your position,” Whitfield wrote in one of the texts. “Don’t worry, I’m calling in the prayer warriors.”
“He was already readying a reference before taking any allegations to heart from those he was elected to serve,” Lockhart said. “From where I’m standing as a parent, this clause in the separation agreement is not a good impression on the public.”
Abigail Westbrook, director of policy and legal services for the state school directors association, said a provision like that is not necessarily out of the ordinary. Attorneys help both parties navigate through “sticky parts,” so they can agree on how to part ways in a professional matter suited for their specific situation, she said.
Westbrook said she is “certainly sympathetic” to community members who want more information about the details of the agreement. However, she said, “by its very nature, a settlement agreement is a private agreement between two parties.”
“It’s not the kind of thing that anybody does lightly,” Westbrook said. “… At least when you get to the other side, you can say, ‘Well, it’s over.’ And maybe there are things you would do differently looking backwards, but it’s kind of like getting divorced. It’s hard stuff, and the notion is to work it out, get through it and move on.”
Now the school board shifts its attention to the search for an interim superintendent. The board is working with a national firm to hire an interim superintendent for the next school year. As of Monday afternoon, 10 people had started an application, including seven people whose applications were fully complete, according to the firm.
The board will meet in executive session July 21 to review applicants. At that meeting, board members also will have a public conversation about whether to interview finalists in public, private or both.
Results of a survey indicate that parents, district staff and community leaders want a leader of “high integrity who can build trust and greater unity across the system and within the community.” Respondents also emphasized a need for a leader who will create a shared mission for the school district, will show deep commitment to “effective listening, communication and stakeholder engagement,” and will prioritize the needs of students and families in making decisions.
“It feels hopeful for our district as we move forward, especially reading and listening to those survey results,” Bumpus said. “It feels like there is a lot more engagement … and our board is very respectful, honest and transparent in our conversations.”
Mallory Gruben is a Report for America corps member who writes about education for The Daily Herald.
Mallory Gruben: 425-339-3035; mallory.gruben@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @MalloryGruben.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
