[B]URLINGTON – The Burlington School Board recently renewed Superintendent Yaw Obeng’s contract for three years amid concerns from some community members that the school district’s top executive is a target of unrelenting criticism from an array of people who live and work in the city.
School board Chairman Mark Porter declined to discuss Obeng’s contract renewal and the process that led to the action. School commissioners voted to renew and extend Obeng’s contract last month. The superintendent’s office didn’t respond to a request asking how school directors voted.
Obeng’s new contract runs from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2021. He is also getting a 2 percent salary increase over his fiscal year 2018 rate of pay, earning $161,091, starting July 1.
“We have come a long way since Superintendent Obeng came on board and we look forward to continued improvement throughout our school district for the years to come,” wrote Porter in a news release announcing the agreement.
The board listed a series of what it described as accomplishments under Obeng’s leadership. They included a successful budgeting process in each of the last three years; concentration on special education and English language improvements in the last two budget cycles; and creation of an equity index to guide budget decisions for each school campus.
Obeng came to Burlington after serving as a district administrator in Canada. The school board was criticized by some in the city for selecting a candidate from outside both Vermont and the United States.
Obeng also drew fire nearly two years ago when he announced an administrative shakeup. One of the most unpopular moves involved longtime Burlington High School Principal Amy Mellencamp’s transfer to C.P. Smith Elementary School for one school year. Mellencamp retired in June.
The discussion on Obeng’s contract renewal took place in executive session, a fact that concerned some city residents. School board agendas posted on the district website included executive sessions on personnel matters.
Dan Cunningham, a city resident, pointed out in a meeting last month that the contract discussion was held without the wider community’s input. He learned about the discussion through Front Porch Forum, he said.
Obeng’s tenure in Burlington has been a flashpoint for many. Burlington Education Association President Fran Brock criticized Obeng last winter when contract negotiations broke down. Recently, she struck a more conciliatory tone.
“As a teacher and president of the BEA I hope I can work with any superintendent hired by the school board,” Brock said. “Teachers are employees of the district. The school board is responsible for hiring and evaluating the superintendent.”
She added, “Concerns that have arisen about Mr. Obeng’s evaluation and contract are really in the hands of the school board, and as elected representatives, board members do need to be responsive to those who elect them, not necessarily the teachers.”
At the same time, Brock said it would be “respectful of the board to consider input from those who work for the district.”
Hal Colston has a different perspective. Founder of the Good News Garage and a longtime activist on racial and social justice issues, Colston said he feared that racial bias may be behind much of the criticism being directed at Obeng as a person of color.
He said he heard school district employees make racially charged statements at one of the community meetings where the public could interview the two finalists for the superintendent’s position. Brock denies that racism has played a part in faculty and staff criticism of Obeng.
“I applaud him for hanging in there, so all children can have equity in education, and not just the privileged,” said Colston.
Former school board member Brian Cina, who chaired the ad hoc search committee that recommended Obeng’s hiring to the full board, said he isn’t surprised Obeng is the target of criticism.
“He had to create institutional change,” Cina said. “He was in a no-win situation, and I think he was scapegoated for the problems that existed for years and that will take decades to fix. If he made changes, he was condemned.”
Dave Hartnett, a member of the Burlington City Council representing the North District, praised the school board for its decision to extend Obeng’s contract. Hartnett is manager of Jolley Short Stop, a place where conversation about local politics flows as quickly as the coffee.
“I think we have an incredible school board,” he said. “I think they’ve worked very hard, and I feel it was in the best interest for the board and for the community to extend the contract.”
