The fate of a Wiscasset principal could be decided at an unusual public hearing next week.
Wiscasset Middle High School Principal Gina Stevens was placed on leave last month and faces possible firing after she was accused of several transgressions, including improperly authorizing the installation of a hidden camera, indefinitely removing a student against policy and mistreating students and staff. Stevens has denied any wrongdoing.
Superintendent Kim Andersson recommended the School Committee fire her. The committee will hold a hearing Tuesday to decide Stevens’ fate. In an atypical move, Stevens requested the process be made open to the public. Such school personnel matters are usually decided in closed-door executive sessions.
Tuesday’s hearing will resemble a trial, with attorneys representing the school department and Stevens given opportunities to present evidence and call witnesses. The hearing will be held during a School Committee meeting at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Wiscasset Elementary School.
After the hearing, the committee is expected to vote on whether to fire the principal.
The situation has struck a nerve in the community, with many speaking out in support of Stevens. Hundreds of people, including dozens of students, attended a pair of committee meetings last month, the vast majority appearing to back the principal.
Twenty-five middle/high school staff members wrote a public letter in support of Stevens, while 17 students walked out of class the week of Thanksgiving and held a protest across the street at the school administration building in support of Stevens. A handful of students who didn’t get their guardian’s permission to leave school served in-school suspensions, per school policy, according to Andersson. She said she held a “listening session” at the school that day for students, including the protesters, to answer questions about the situation.
Andersson said Stevens has demonstrated “repeated dishonesty, poor judgement, lack of responsibility and communication failures” and exposed the school department to potential legal action. She said Stevens informed her on Oct. 3 about a hidden camera installed in the school’s food pantry that the principal said was necessary because someone kept breaking into it. Andersson said she never authorized the camera. The superintendent was shocked when Stevens told her students used the pantry to change clothes with the camera installed. It was unclear if the camera was functioning at the time; those details will likely be discussed at Tuesday’s hearing.
Andersson said Stevens blamed another staff member for the camera incident. Andersson said in March, Stevens improperly authorized a student to be indefinitely removed from the school without an expulsion hearing, which is against policy. Andersson said the parent of the student filed a complaint with the state Department of Education.
The superintendent said Stevens also mistreated a teacher by yelling at theperson over the removal of the camera; mistreated a student by yelling over unfounded vaping accusations; and didn’t communicate with her on important issues such as a special education teacher vacancy.
“She can no longer be trusted to do her job,” Andersson said. “She still refuses to admit any wrongdoing or take responsibility for her behavior, which presents an unacceptable risk of liability for the school department and potential harm to its student and staff if she continues to be the principal.”
Regarding the camera, Stevens said Andersson knew it about in August. Stevens’ lawyer, Gregg Frame, called Andersson’s accusations “opinions” and said Stevens is prepared to refute them at an upcoming hearing the School Committee will hold on Andersson’s recommendation that the principal be fired for cause.
“I have done nothing wrong,” Stevens said in a statement after she was placed on leave. “I have only done my job appropriately and in line with expected leadership responsibilities. … I pride myself on honesty, fairness and integrity.”
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