More than 60 area residents crowded into the USD 257 district office Monday evening to hear the board’s decision regarding the career fate of middle school science teacher David Cunningham, who was suspended with pay in March.
The crowd, which included Cunningham’s friends, family, church members, and nearly 20 of his students, were there in support of the second-year teacher. A handful of those gathered even rose in his defense: Carlyle Presbyterian’s Pastor Steve Traw, a longtime friend of the Cunningham family, defended the teacher’s good character and urged the board to “keep him in our school system.” Community National Bank president Jim Gilpin echoed Traw’s assessment of the young man and underlined for the board the importance of supporting Iola alumni, like Cunningham, who, after receiving their college degree, return to their hometown to make their careers. Seventh-grader Tyler Crane, a student of Cunningham’s, offered a first-hand rebuttal to rumors accusing the teacher of using inappropriate language in the classroom. (The confidentiality of USD 257’s personnel decisions are legally protected under the Kansas Open Meetings Act, and so it is not known publicly whether this accusation actually formed any part of the district’s rationale for reconsidering the teacher’s terms of employment.) Finally, Iolan Karen Gilpin handed the board a petition containing more than 700 signatures in support of Cunningham.
But their appeals, while graciously entertained, were for naught.The board voted unanimously not to renew Cunningham’s contract. (Board president Tony Leavitt and member Darrel Catron were absent from the proceedings.) Neither the board nor administration — who had convened a special hour-long executive session on the topic earlier in the day — offered any additional comments on the decision.
After the vote, during a brief recess, the students — most of whom had been sitting cross-legged on the floor, the slogan “Free C” scrawled in black marker on their arms and hands — formed a spontaneous line and took tearful turns hugging the outgoing teacher.
IN OTHER NEWS:
— The board approved a bid from Wray Roofing, Inc. (Newton) for the replacement of the Iola Middle School roof. Work is scheduled to begin this summer and should be completed before the start of the next school year.
— IHS history teacher Bill Peeper, in his capacity as a member of the Instructional Practices Inventory “coding team,” briefed the board on the basics of the IPI program, whose chief function is the collection of data regarding students’ classroom engagement — data that will allow the district to more effectively shape future classroom experiences to maximize pupil participation.
