Ann Cardon out as Traverse City Area Public Schools Superintendent
GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, Mich. (WPBN/WGTU) -- Northern Michigan's largest school district's newly hired superintendent has resigned after just a few months on the job.
More than a dozen people spoke during the public comment session prior to the announcement during the Traverse City Area Public Schools Special Board meeting Thursday.
Community members accused the board of a lack of transparency.
"What's unfortunate is we will probably never know what the truth is but maybe that's by design," said one TCAPS teacher.
This was the second special board meeting in less than a week.
During another special meeting last week, board trustee Erica Moon Mohr accused other board members of trying to undermine Superintendent Cardon.
People also called for a recall of the board during public comment.
"There needs to be a criminal investigation based on you guys right there because there's some fraud hiding in the room right here and I don't know what's going on but there's something hidden and I think you guys are responsible for it," said a TCAPS parent when addressing the board.
"Outrage without action is meaningless," said Grant Parsons an attorney. "If we do not move forward with political action, a recall campaign, we will have violated our duty to protect and preserve Traverse City Schools when the school sytem, the system is being destroyed."
After the public comments Thursday, School Board President Sue Kelly, announced the mutual agreement and resignation of Superintendent Ann Cardon.
Cardon wasn't at Thursday's meeting but her resignation letter was read aloud during the meeting.
Kelly wasn't able to say where Cardon was or give specifics about why Cardon resigned but told 7&4, "This act was made necessary as a result of public disclosure of confidential communications in a closed session of the board that hereafter made it impossible for Ms. Cardon to be effective in her position as Superintendent," said Kelly.
In response to a question about what happened between Cardon was hired by the board five months ago and now, Kelly said, "That's a personal question for Ann Cardon, as I stated this just has created a situation that she could not continue her duties and she has resigned."
TCAPS board trustee Erica Moon Mohr has accused Kelly and three other board members of trying to undermind Cardon.
"I just watched this campaign of I mean I call it a bullying campaign but I mean just true non-support," said Moon Mohr.
Moon Mohr has also asked Sue Kelly, Jane Klegman, Pamela Forton, and Jeffrey Leonhardt to resign from the board.
Cardon was unanimously chosen by the TCAPS School Board as the new superintendent out of 24 candidates.
Cardon's contract was approved by board members June 10 with a starting salary of $184,000.
Cardon started with the district August 1 and her contract was supposed to go until June 30, 2022.
After Cardon's letter of resignation was read out loud, the board named former TCAPS Superintendent Jim Pavelka as interim superintendent.
Pavelka was superintendent for the district from 1999-2006.
You can watch the full special meeting below:
UpNorthLive's Hannah Cumler spoke with Ann Cardon on her plans for the district before the start of the school year.
You can see the Tracker Talk interview below:
The interview with Ann Cardon continues below:
