Parents want S.H. school officials gone

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (WWLP) - Two outspoken critics have called for the ouster or resignations of the South Hadley Superintendent of Schools and three members of the school committee. South Hadley parents Darby O'Brien and Luke Gelinas expressed their concerns during a public speak-out before Wednesday night's school committee meeting at South Hadley High School.

A judge this week ruled that the South Hadley School Committee illegally went into executive session when discussing Superintendent Gus Sayer's contract renewal.

"We have at least three members here that sat in on those executive sessions that willfully violated the law. Those are not my words. That judge's decision was very direct. If he could have invalidated the vote on the superintendent's contract, he would have," Luke Gelinas told 22News.

South Hadley Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Gus Sayer, told 22News that he welcomes parents expressing their concerns, but he said he hoped the forum would take place as a dialogue.

"The judge has determined that the vote, which granted me a raise, was not proper because they were not in executive session properly. So, they'll have to retake that vote," Sayer said.

Sayer did indicate his future as superintendent was dependent on the school committee's evaluations of his work.

O'Brien and Gelinas were very critical of the Superintendent and the school committee's handling of the aftermath of the suicide of bullying victim Phoebe Prince.