[A]t an all-staff meeting at Mill River Union High School on Oct. 19, school district Superintendent David Younce addressed rumors of an alleged affair, cited Kid Rock lyrics, and accused colleagues of undermining his work in the district.
In a recording published online by the Rutland Herald on Tuesday, Younce can be heard berating co-workers for an unhealthy workplace culture that reached a boiling point when a rumor spread throughout the school district that he was having an affair with a female staff member — Younce is married to Beth Younce, a nurse in the district, and has two boys in the school system.
“You’re either going to leave here thinking I’m nuts, or that I’m serious,” Younce said, audibly fighting back tears.
Parents are concerned the type of behavior demonstrated in the recording shows the unprofessional work environment promulgated by Younce.
Mike Spafford, a parent of a student at the high school, said parents are upset over how Younce has treated the teachers and that his behavior in October is symbolic of how he has long treated parents, teachers and students.
“The man is very arrogant. He’s cut so many people down over the years. He’s very condescending towards parents and students,” Spafford said. “He has especially bullied female teachers.”
Spafford said that on Wednesday students at the high school were demanding Younce’s resignation for mistreatment of their teachers. Spafford said he planned to speak at a school meeting Wednesday evening about the recording and Younce’s behavior.
In an email to VTDigger, Younce acknowledged he met with employees to notify them that “malicious and false rumors” about him “were unfounded.”
“The District investigated my behavior after learning of the rumors. It found the allegations unsubstantiated,” Younce wrote.
When asked about criticism from teachers and parents, Younce said that a parent had spoken up about his behavior at Town Meeting and “that parent is entitled to an opinion.”
“I do not think it is appropriate for me to criticize a single resident’s public statements about my performance,” Younce said.
In the 22-minute recording, Younce describes how in early October he was called out of a conference in Montpelier to receive a phone call from his wife who told him she had overheard a rumor in the high school’s main office that he was having an affair with a female employee.
“If any of you know me you know that rumor is a crock of garbage,” Younce told staff members. “And if any one of you know my wife, or my marriage, you know I have the best damn wife there is.”
Younce said the rumor of an affair was the latest example of “overt” and “covert” attempts by employees to undermine his leadership and initiatives in the district.
“This is the day that we are turning a corner here and you are either turning the corner or you are going to be gone,” Younce said.
Younce referred to the staff members and teachers who he accused of undermining him as “critters” and “bugs” scurrying under rocks, and added they are a cancer that must be “radiated” in order for the school district to move forward.
“If you are a critter that is going to scurry when the lights come on you will be found,” Younce said. “You have former colleagues who used to work here who have been found.”
The superintendent also referenced the musician Kid Rock, saying, “There’s a singer that I like to listen to some of his music. Some of you may hate him. His name is Kid Rock.”
Younce quoted the final line from the song “Only God Knows Why” which says that people “get what they deserve” before he warned that teachers who are undermining him and his policies are in a more vulnerable situation.
“It’s also important to me that you know that what happened to my family, if someone in this school felt safe enough to verbalize what was verbalized in a public setting where human ears heard it about a person who has my privilege, then god help those poor kids,” Younce said. “And god help the rest of you because you are more vulnerable than I am.”
“I guarantee you I’m here for at least another three school years. I have a contract that goes that long and I have a kid that will graduate from here in three years,” he added.
In an email response late Wednesday afternoon to further questions his behavior and whether he is considering resignation, Younce referred VTDigger to Mill River Unified Union School Board Chair Tammy Heffernan for a statement about his job performance.
In an email to the Rutland Herald this week, Younce did not apologize for his behavior but did say he was sorry the recording was leaked to the press.
“I am sorry that a staff member chose to record the meeting without my knowledge or consent. That kind of conduct is not consistent with my understanding of professional behavior,” he wrote.
The southern Rutland County towns of Clarendon, Shrewsbury, Tinmouth and Wallingford comprise the Mill River Unified Union School District.
