Ruling Issued On Ethics Complaint Filed Against Stamford Superintendent Of Schools

STAMFORD, CT — In a ruling released last week, the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) dismissed the Stamford Education Association's complaint against Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tamu Lucero, saying claims Lucero violated the Code of Professional Responsibility for School Administrators are "without merit."

The ethics complaint, which was filed this past summer, called for an investigation into Lucero and the following allegations:

• Failure to provide a safe and orderly learning environment at Turn of River
• Coercion and lack of transparency in the implementation of a new high school schedule
• Mishandling student discipline and false accusations at Westhill High School
• Misuse of administrative position and potential conflicts of interest

Read the full letter from the SEA outlining complaints against Lucero.

The SEA also requested a public statement from the CSDE reaffirming the Code of Ethics for all certified administrators, and an assurance that the CSDE will hold administrators accountable to the same standards as teachers.

Shortly after the filing, SEA President John Corcoran said the teachers union "received repeated complaints regarding what they describe as retaliatory management practices, disregard for educator input, and a pattern of behavior that undermines collaborative decision-making."

Board of Education President Michael Hyman pushed back on the complaint, calling it "unfounded."

On Oct. 31, CSDE's Director of Legal and Governmental Affairs Michael P. McKeon issued a letter to both Corcoran and Hyman regarding the complaint.

"The SEA’s June 9, 2025, claims that the Superintendent has violated the Code of Professional Responsibility for School Administrators is without merit," McKeon wrote.

"As such, there is no basis for the CSDE to take any action with respect to the Superintendent’s certification. Additionally, the CSDE has no authority for superseding or otherwise interfering with the Stamford Board’s personnel decisions or intradistrict policies, particularly when they are either a subject of the collective bargaining agreement between the Stamford Board and the SEA or have otherwise been negotiated thereunder. Consequently, the CSDE considers this matter closed."

Read the full letter from the CSDE here.

McKeon noted that "on their face, the allegations upon which Mr. Corcoran predicated his June 9, 2025, letter on behalf of the SEA appear to constitute such district-level disagreements rather than violations of the Code."

"As such, the apparent crux of these allegations is that the SEA does not agree with the Superintendent's exercise of her 'executive authority over the school system' and the discharge of her 'responsibility for its supervision,'" McKeon added.

"The CSDE’s ruling validates what has been clear from the start, which is that the SEA’s complaint had no merit," said Hyman in a news release from the school district over the weekend. "This outcome confirms that these were professional disagreements, not ethical violations, and we hope the SEA President now understands the difference between the two."

Hyman said Corcoran's "continued public efforts to discredit the Superintendent and the elected Board" were "counterproductive."

"We hope that Mr. Corcoran can finally set aside his personal animosities and find a way to work productively with the BOE and District on matters of importance to teachers, students, families, and Stamford’s taxpayers," Hyman added.

In a statement Tuesday, Corcoran said, "By choosing to disregard the clear and disturbing facts and evidence of misconduct by Superintendent Dr. Tamu Lucero, as presented by the Stamford Education Association (SEA), the SDE’s reckless decision signals a dangerous and unacceptable failure to uphold the Professional Code of Conduct for Administrators—standards that are meant to ensure accountability and integrity among those in positions of authority."

The Connecticut Education Association also commented on the ruling.

"By ignoring these serious issues, the SDE has failed in its responsibility to ensure safe, fair, and ethical school environments," said CEA President Kate Dias. "This decision not only undermines confidence in the Department’s oversight but also sets a dangerous precedent—one that lowers the bar for professional conduct and weakens protections for students and educators in every school district across Connecticut."

The complaint from the SEA came on the heels of a "no-confidence" vote against Lucero from staff at Roxbury Elementary School.

Lucero, who has been superintendent of SPS since April 2019, will not seek a contract extension and will leave the school district at the conclusion of her current deal, the school district announced last June.

Lucero has accepted an offer to serve as the director and head of school at a private, PreK-12 international school in Africa effective July 1, 2026.

Her current contract with SPS expires on June 30, 2026.