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Parents, teachers express concern about Principal

Posted at 7:42 PM, Apr 20, 2015
and last updated 2015-04-20 19:52:48-04

DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. -- A letter to the editor in the local paper and now an online petition -- all targeting the principal at Dinwiddie Elementary School.

"Definitely a bullying situation" says Meagan Wall, a former teacher who left her job, she says, because of the principal. "Someone who is supposed to be a leader, their responsibility is to lead, not to bully, not to harass, not to intimidate."

A few days after the letter to the editor of the Dinwiddie Monitor, an online petition was started by Stacey Hower, whose son goes to Dinwiddie Elementary School.

"I started it because I myself had some very negative experiences with the principal," Hower said. "I'd say I was bullied, definitely."

Last year, an anonymous letter was sent to school board members and some residents in the community.

"Last year, based on the anonymous letter, we did an investigation" says School Board Chairman Bill Haney.

Haney couldn't elaborate because it is a personnel matter.

When asked about the recent allegations, Haney said, "We have since, based on the letter to the editor, we're looking into the information that was shared in that letter."

Haney says he has concerns though, about comments being made with the online petition.

"Well, it doesn't address the issues, it doesn't address the allegations and the complaint is one side and fails to take into consideration the possibility there may be other information, they don't have," Haney explained.

Hower says she plans to take the petition and names she's gathered online to the next school board meeting.

"As a parent, I just want to know, what do I have to do to make this change," Hower said.

"My main concern is the students because you can't treat their teachers that way, expect 110 percent from them but a the same time be telling them they're incompetent and that they're never doing anything right and expect them to effectively be able to reach their students, it's just not possible," said Wall.

CBS 6 reached out to the school to talk with the principal, but have not heard back.