In a case somewhat reminiscent of the departure of Pittsburgh School Superintendent John Thompson, a Black principal in the Farrell Area School District in Mercer County faces possible removal from his post.

But unlike Thompson, Farrell High Principal Lee McFerren still has two years remaining on his contract. Nonetheless, he was put “on trial” before the school board March 17 on 45 allegations of insubordination and unprofessional conduct.

LEE McFERREN

McFerren who previously worked in the Crawford Central School District in Meadville and Venango County’s Franklin Area School District, was hired in 2005. In 2007 he was stripped of his “assistant to the superintendent” title and prior to Thanksgiving was suspended for four days without pay.

Due to the 45 charges, McFerren was again suspended Feb. 7. Neither he nor his attorney has commented on the allegations. Prior to the hearing, the only mention of any of the charges has come from the Save Our Schools Committee, which supports McFerren.

According to an e-mail sent to parents by the committee Feb. 28, McFerren was hired to be a “Joe Clark,” to clean up a dysfunctional district and who would press to have the district known for academics first, and athletics second.

The committee implies that McFerren is being discriminated against simply for doing what he was hired to do, instituting changes to improve academic performance that have upset students, parents, teachers and administrators.

Attorney Michael Levin, an outside attorney hired specifically to make the presentation against McFerren painted a picture of an administrator who went beyond upsetting students, parents, teachers and administrators to threatening them.

As reported in the Sharon Herald, despite taking more than two hours, Levin could only present about a dozen of the district’s allegations. Among them are that McFerren:

•changed the school day from seven to eight periods per day without proper planning or board approval, resulting in chaos;

•threatened to use evaluations “against teachers” who defied him;

•publicly embarrassed a standout student, who formally complained;

•“shouted (at) and threatened” a girls basketball coach;

•told acting Superintendent Carol Borkowski “to be careful because what goes around comes around” after learning she was building a case against him, and

•defied orders to inform Mrs. Borkowski when he was leaving school grounds.

As to the last charge, the Save Our Schools Committee claims McFerren was told specifically not to be seen at Black businesses Klassy Kuts and Triple Ds because “it looks bad.”

Reached with his attorney by cell phone just prior to the hearing’s continuation March 18, McFerren stopped short of agreeing with the committee’s characterization of discrimination, preferring instead to say people are upset because he challenges the status quo.

“People are used to sugar coating issues—I tell the truth,” he said. “I won’t tell someone they’re doing a good job when they’re not. My charge was to clean up behavior and improve test scores. They are fabricating charges that don’t hold water. I mean seriously, what person on earth gets 45 chances to mess up?”

McFerren said his changes to the school schedule—adding an extra period—were done in coordination with teachers, department heads and the superintendent, and were needed because the school was threatened with state takeover due to its “Corrective Action II” academic status.

He also denied threatening teachers and administrators. His attorney, Barbara Seman-Ochs, said he is doing what he was hired to do and just wants to finish the job.

“Before he came here the high school was chaotic,” she said. “Students roamed the halls, came and went as they please while teachers sat at their desks drinking coffee—not teaching.”

Ochs said it would take a vote by six of the nine board members to dismiss McFerren.

“I don’t know if six people will do that,” she said. “Those that do will be making a very negative statement to our youth—don’t have standards, don’t have goals. Don’t succeed.”

(Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburghcourier.com.)