Students at the Miami Valley’s largest school district are back in class, but two weeks ago the Dayton School Board nearly put Supt. Dr. David Lawrence on paid administrative leave.
It stemmed from allegations made about him to the school board. News Center 7’s Xavier Hershovitz talked with Dr. Lawrence, who told him he views this as a big distraction.
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When school board members voted on whether or not to put Dr. Lawrence on leave, he was with students, something he said should be everyone in the district’s focus.
“Distraction, disruption, intrigue, gossip, rumor, and innuendo, it’s all bad,” Lawrence said.
That’s how he describes the allegations made against him and brought to Dayton’s school Board.
Two weeks ago, a board vote failed to put him on paid administrative leave. Dr. Lawrence said that independent investigation is now over.
“All those allegations have been found to be unsubstantiated,” Dr. Lawrence said. He also said the allegations surrounded his leadership style.
“I expect excellence from anybody who’s anywhere near me. And that can be off-putting for people who don’t have the same intensity and level of commitment that I have,” he said.
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While he said the last few weeks have been difficult, his focus has been on the more than 13,000 students who are a part of Dayton Public Schools.
“I don’t know any other way to go other than hard, fast, and in the interest of kids,” he said.
News Center 7 obtained a copy of the report late Friday afternoon. The report concluded that the evidence did not substantiate the allegations against Dr. Lawrence.
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