Parents Look to Recall Winchester School Committee Members

Winchester Superintendent of Schools Judith Evans shocked parents and students across town when she announced high school principal Sean Kiley had resigned in an email two weeks ago.

Now parents are gearing up and ready to take action in order to help Kiley retain his position.

Parents are have taken steps toward starting a recall petition in order to remove Cindy Bohne, chairwoman, and Chris Linskey, vice chairman, from the five-person School Committee, The Boston Globe reports.

A recall is a very aggressive and threatening thing to do,” Chris Gregory, a Winchester parent, told The Globe. “We’re trying to get a very popular principal reinstated.”

Gregory, among other parents, is leading the charge to remove the two school committee members. He’s already reached out to the town’s clerk office to set up a formal petition.

“The chairman and vice chairman have defended the things that have been done,” Gregory told The Globe. “To recall all five members wouldn’t make much sense. But we have been given a very flawed explanation of why Mr. Kiley was let go.”

After just one year on the job, Evans informed the town that he’d no longer be leading the high school. Students and parents were outraged when Kiley publicly stated that he had not resigned.

“Again, I have not resigned and love my position as the Principal of Winchester High School and wish to continue to serve as Principal of Winchester High School for the 2016 academic year and beyond,” Kiley wrote in his personal blog.

Hundreds of students and parents attended a School Committee meeting last week in support of Kiley. They are now fed up with the secrecy regarding the matter and want answers.

A town hall meeting will be held in Winchester on Wednesday at 7 p.m. to further discuss the matter and to seek answers.