Jordan-Elbridge parents want to sue school district

Jordan-Elbridge parents plan to sue school district

Parents and tax payers unhappy after forced retirement of superintendent.

By Adam Feldfogel (NCC News)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - A group of parents and tax payers want to take the Jordan-Elbridge School District to court. They are threatening to sue, saying that the board forced superintendent Marilyn Dominick into retirement, according to 9WSYR.

Dominick says "irreconcilable differences" are to blame for her taking an early retirement, according to the article on 9WSYR.com. But, the tax payers are claiming that this is not a sufficient reason to send someone to retirement.

Attorney for tax payers says this was uncalled for

The lawsuit was announced Wednesday night by the attorney representing the parents and tax payers, Dominick D'Imperio.

He claimed the taxpayers are pursuing the suit on the grounds that there was no true disagreement between the outgoing superintendent and the school board, implying that there was no genuine reason to force her to retire from her job.

"Simply saying 'we don't want you anymore' is not a valid reason," says D'Imperio.

In a phone interview with D'Imperio, he said this goes beyond an issue with a beloved superintendent who has done her job to the best of her ability. He says it's about people taking accountability for their own actions.

"At the end of the day, I think it's a much larger issue than just Jordan-Elbridge. I think it's an issue of accountability and public officials conducting the people's business in the light of day, and not in the back rooms and dark alleys," said D'Imperio.

What this means for the school district

The parents want Marilyn Dominick reinstated so she can finish out her five-year term as superintendent. The board, however, is continuing on in it's pursuit of a new one.

William Speck has taken over as superintendent on an interim basis. He is responsible for assisting the board in their search for a new superintendent.

He will remain at this position until a new one is found. But the board anticipates the in-coming superintendent to take over on November 1st, the day Dominick's resignation becomes effective.