Hundreds of people turned out in support of Charter Oak Primary School principal John Wetterauer during Monday’s District 150 School Board meeting. Peoria Public Radio’s Alex Rusciano reports:
Wetterauer is on leave after the discovery of potential cheating at Charter Oak on state standardized tests given to special education students. Dan Dugal is on the school’s Parent Teacher Committee. He says District Administration lacked transparency after placing Wetterauer on leave:
‘What is the procedure, what is the policy and why can’t the administration be a little bit more proactive? Clearly they knew that they were going to pull him out of school that day, but why can't they be a little bit more proactive with their communication,” Dugal says.
Dugal joined several other parents praising Wetterauer for his leadership at Charter Oak. School Board president Rick Cloyd says administrative leave is procedural as the state investigates the incident:
“We regret any confusion, concern or discomfort this matter has caused for a Charter Oak school children and the community, and we know that has been significant. However, we believe it is a fair and necessary step to uphold the highest standards of educational quality and integrity,” Cloyd says.
The Board by consensus extended Wetterauer’s leave beyond the initial 10 days under board policy. It’s unclear how long the state will take to complete its investigation.