Petition asking for superintendent's ouster signed by parents at Pleasant Street School

LACONIA — As of Wednesday, 119 parents of students at Pleasant Street School had signed an online petition asking the Laconia School Board to place Superintendent Steve Tucker on leave and not renew his contract, citing ineffective leadership, bullying, lack of transparency and unfair treatment of Pleasant Street School Principal David Levesque.

Levesque’s contract has not been renewed because of reasons that have not been disclosed by the board or superintendent – and that’s become a thorny problem for the school community. District officials say they can't detail circumstances behind the non-renewal because it's a personnel issue.

Levesque’s treatment, Tucker's angry remarks at the May 3 school board meeting and the lack of explanation or further details have sparked a firestorm of support for Levesque and for the ouster of Tucker, and parents and community members continue to question the district's decision not to keep the popular principal.

Levesque is appealing the decision. After several postponements, most recently of a school board hearing for Levesque that was scheduled for May 16, no new hearing date has been set. Levesque remains in limbo, and many parents, teachers and staff are shocked and distraught.

At the school board meeting Tuesday night, Liana Crowell, a parent of a kindergartner at PSS who ran for school board last year, read a statement echoing the petition she started online at change.org.

Tucker “should be terminated for his immorality and conduct due to his outburst" (May 3, when he told the audience that Levesque had taken a job in Franklin, which supporters say is not true). "As a school board you are here to represent the concerns of the citizens. If quick action is not taken with the superintendent, the future of our district is unknown and our children will suffer the most,” Crowell told the board.

The petition states: “We as parents of the children that attend schools in this district no longer have confidence in (Steve Tucker’s) abilities to lead our district and provide the best education possible. His lack of effective leadership and bullying in the school district has caused a toxic work environment for many staff and administrators. His malicious outburst at the school board meeting on May 3 proves he is unfit to hold a leadership position. He has shown he has more interest in a personal agenda than in the education of the district by retaliating against and terminating those teachers and administrators who do not fit.”

Levesque, who has served as principal of PSS for the last ten years, has not commented publicly, apart from stating at the May 3 school board meeting that he has not accepted a job as principal at Franklin High School, as Tucker heatedly remarked at that meeting, where parents, staff and PSS students had gathered to speak on Levesque’s behalf.

PTO members and Levesque’s supporters say the principal's intent was never to leave, but to have another job option in case his hearing doesn’t result in his continuing at PSS.

Crowell said Tucker’s outburst on May 3 shocked his supporters and made some cry – including children who came from PSS to show their support. Some question whether the remark contradicts the board's code of privacy around personnel matters.

“His students were sitting right there. They were devastated,” said Elizabeth Gleason, a PTO member at Pleasant Street School who signed the online petition. She said her fifth-grade daughter, a fan of Levesque, was very upset even though she’ll be heading to middle school next year. “What about all the other kids?” Gleason’s daughter said.

A woman from the audience spoke in defense of Tucker’s character and service during the general comment period at the board meeting May 17.

Supporters of Levesque say they fear that the postponement of the hearing doesn’t leave much room for appeal, and they feel Tucker’s angry behavior was inappropriate and uncalled for.

“In my opinion the outburst from Tucker about the job situation was meant to cause distress among the parents, kids and teachers there. It felt like he wanted to hurt those supporting Dave,” said Crowell.

Some parents posted their reasons for signing the petition on change.org. “He (Tucker)isn’t fit and doesn’t have the students best interests in mind,” wrote Angela Chamberlain. “The toxic environment he has created is not helpful in conducting regular school business,” said Shyam Choudary.

“I have seen firsthand the toxic and destructive nature of Mr. Tucker’s actions and many times I have called him out on this to his face. I’m glad this petition is being circulated,” posted Richard Littlefield, a state representative from Laconia.

If Levesque is required to leave, all three district’s elementary school principals will be new next fall. Michaela Champlin will replace outgoing Woodland Heights Principal Dale Chenette. Tara Beauchemin, the principal for eight years at Elm Street School, is leaving to serve as principal at Gilford Middle School. Laconia High School Principal James McCollum and Laconia Middle School principal Alison Bryant will continue in their current roles. That “is my understanding,” Tucker said.

The pressures on education in the wake of COVID have resulted in many school administrators and teachers across the country leaving the profession, retiring or moving on, which creates competition for a limited pool.

Crowell said it’s a sign that things are not right when multiple key employees are leaving the city's school system.

When asked to respond to the online petition, which Crowell quoted at the board meeting May 17, Laconia School Board Chair Aaron Hayward responded by email, “First and foremost, neither I nor the board will speak publicly on matters pertaining to specific personnel. We have heard a number of speakers in our meetings speak to their understandings of current issues in the district. The board is following policy and acting in good faith in the community. I do not have any petition in hand at this time to answer your question specifically. I will defer to our legal counsel for any official guidance and use that information to inform the board.”

Tucker responded by email, “I am committed to serve the students, staff and families in the Laconia School District. I do not know of any petition.”

Hayward did not comment on whether a date had been set for Levesque’s hearing.

Parents say they are worried about the upheaval for the students that may be caused if Levesque is forced to leave.

“I signed the petition because I feel a lot of stuff is being put on personnel issues that the public should know about,” said Gleason, who recently organized a school-wide signing of poster with a photo of Levesque and the school’s comfort dog, Remy, dressed as superheroes, which was presented to Levesque last Friday, when classroom doors with decorated with messages and drawings for the principal.

“He is the ideal person you want as a leader for your school. You have a good leader. You have a good staff. You have good children,” said Gleason, adding that five of the six students in the Honor Society at Laconia Middle School this year came from Pleasant Street School. “That has to say something,” Gleason said. “He goes out of his way all the time to make sure they are safe, happy and have resources when they need them. It’s just not somebody. He just cares so much. You can feel it when he’s around. He’s a diamond in the rough. I cannot sit here and watch them destroy a man who’s been so wonderful to the children and to these kids."