Superintendent, 2 board members resign, cite ‘dysfunctional behavior’

Board to decide how they will fill vacancies within next few weeks

Farmington Public Schools Superintendent Robert Herrera and two Board of Education members resigned Monday amid allegations that a third school board member harassed Herrera.

Herrera’s resignation came after he filed a complaint against board member Angie Smith alleging harassment, according to a statement from the district. The board passed a resolution censuring Smith.

Board President Pam Green and Vice President Terry Johnson resigned, citing “dysfunctional behavior” of two unnamed board members.

“The reasons for the censure cited conduct unbecoming a Board member based upon Ms. Smith’s public comments and posts causing disruption to school district meetings and operations, necessarily and unfairly interfering with the ability of the superintendent to perform his duties and provide leadership for the district, among other things,” the statement said.

Herrera will continue in his role through the end of the first semester of the 2020-21 school year. He will act in a consulting role for the second semester. He will receive severance pay of $105,000 when his employment ends on June 30.

The board passed a resolution accepting Herrera’s resignation; the agreement makes Herrera’ complaint against Smith moot, the statement said.

“While this is not how or the time that I wanted to leave the district, I felt it was necessary to do what was in the best interest of our entire school community,” Herrera said in the statement.

Green said that the “dysfunctional behavior of two unnamed board members had interfered with further progress of District initiatives, as well as contributing to her health issues, ultimately requiring that she remove herself from the board,” the statement said.

Johnson resigned with about six weeks remaining in his term, as he did not run for re- election on the Nov. 3 ballot.

The board will decide in the next few weeks how it will fill the vacancies and how to select a new superintendent.

Herrera became superintendent in July 2019 after George Heitsch retired.

Smith also had conflicts with Heitsch, who served as superintendent for five years.

In a 2018 radio interview, Smith said some “house cleaning” may be in order in the district — including Heitsch — to correct what she called unequal treatment of minorities. Heitsch is white; Smith is Black.

Three new school board members were elected in November and will take office in January.

Mable Fox and Cheryl Blau were elected to sixyear terms. Claudia Heinrich won a two-year seat.

Current board member Richard Mukamal ran for a six-year term but came in fourth, losing to Fox and Blau.