MEADOW HEIGHTS TEACHERS APOLOGIZE FOR DISRUPTION

PATTON -- Teachers in Meadow Heights School District have apologized for a disruption at last week's parent-teacher conferences, says a statement released Tuesday.

Last week several parents and students held a demonstration at the conferences to oppose the school board's recent decision to fire high school principal Rick Chastain.

On Tuesday, 11 of the 19 teachers at the school issued a public apology to the parents and public. The apology listed no names but was signed by "concerned members of the high school faculty."

"The majority of the high school faculty does not support him in his endeavor to overturn the school board's decision," faculty members said in the prepared statement.

During the conferences, parents circulated a petition asking the board to reconsider its decision, although they don't think it would have any effect on the board.

The conference was not focused on student progress but on the situation with Chastain, said Superintendent Cheri Fuemmeler. "The teachers were there after hours for the best interests of the students," she said, adding that the teachers didn't feel the disruption allowed them to share student information.

Chastain said he had nothing to do with the petition or the parent demonstration. "I try not to get involved," he said.

Jetta Rowland, a parent, is spearheading the petition drive. She could not be reached to comment Tuesday.

At a Feb. 15 school board meeting, the board voted 3-3, with one abstention, not to renew Chastain's contract as principal.

Chastain said the vote was in retaliation of his alerting the board to financial problems last summer. He also said the vote was illegal because he is a tenured teacher and federal law prohibits firing a whistle-blower.

The school district must repay $34,000 to the state for money it received illegally during a two-year period. False names were added to the school's attendance records during the 1990-91 and 1992-93 school years.

An investigation by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in July uncovered the discrepancy.