The Peter Principle:
…is a concept in management developed by Laurence J. Peter which observes that people in a hierarchy tend to rise to “a level of respective incompetence”
And it will claim who it will.
Yes, I’m late with this news (I keep TRYING to come back…sigh). It happened at the end of last month:
Laconia superintendent steps down
Steve Tucker, who had been superintendent of the city’s school district since 2019, stepped down from his position on Tuesday.
Tucker announced his decision in a brief letter, addressed to the school board:
“Please accept this letter of resignation effective today, August 20 at the end of the work day. I am stepping down as Superintendent of the Laconia School District for personal and family reasons. “I wish you all a fantastic 2024-25 school year and thank you for your commitment to the students, staff, and families in our Great Little City.”
Bob Champlin, who preceded Tucker in the role and served at times as a consultant to the district in more recent years, will serve as interim superintendent.
So much for the standard two-week notice, eh? And only a few days before the start of school. It was too bad, twice over, that the Board decided to hire Bob Champlin as the interim superintendent. It was also too bad that they didn’t decide to hire one of the Admin-level folks who complained about the hostile and cronyistic work environment that Tucker heaved over the side because of his tyrannical mindset.
Think I’m wrong? Try this if you doubt me:
Two years ago, an independent investigator found that complaints of a hostile work environment and discrimination made against Superintendent Steve Tucker were not legally founded, but that he had retaliated against two of the now-former employees who made those complaints. The Laconia School Board determined he had not committed any wrongdoing, and during that school year and the following, more than a dozen members of the administrative team, including the complainants, either left or were not able to continue their employment in Laconia.
…“There was an overwhelming belief that Mr. Tucker creates a dysfunctional and toxic work environment and does not engage in collaborative leadership,” Weiss Ford wrote. “All witnesses except those interviewed at the request of Mr. Tucker, stated that Mr. Tucker engaged in bullying and fear tactics to prevent or hinder the administrative team from speaking their minds and engaging in any meaningful dialogue.”
“Except those interviewed at the request of Mr. Tucker.” Most likely, toadies. There’s much more at the link. And this over at Reddit is rather scathing. And quite a few parents complained about him as well.
The others deserved better than the treatment they received, either directly or via his regime. And the School Board, showing an exemplary example of a captured Board by a Superintendent (and the NHSBA that, IMHO, “trains” them that way), didn’t bother to talk with them, especially Christine Blouin. She had to sue to get her back pay—and finally won: $70,000.00 Linchpin statement?
The new decision notably states that, “[The Laconia School Board] apparently relied upon Superintendent Tucker’s recommendation” in voting to terminate Blouin’s contract. “As explained in the Department’s prior decision, Superintendent Tucker was not found to be a credible witness due to his demonstrated animus against [Blouin], which derived from her participation in the school board’s investigation of complaints against him.
She had to fight for what she had rightly earned. She was put through Purgatory simply because, IMHO, he wanted “the process to be the punishment.” What did he care that his actions cost the District three times the amount it owed her – didn’t come out of his pocket, did it (’cause the Board indemnified him)?
He, on the other hand, got off scot-free without a fight, unlike what he did to Blouin:
As a result of a unanimous vote taken in a special board meeting held Friday, the district will pay Tucker a total of $56,284.80 as compensation for accumulated vacation days and unused sick time. The motion was made by School Board Chair Jennifer Anderson, seconded by Board Member Nick Grenon, and approved by board members LaToya Beck, Laura Dunn, Karin Salome and Jennifer Ulrich without discussion…Tucker can thank Bob Champlin, former Laconia superintendent who agreed to serve as interim following the August resignation, for being able to realize the full value of his payout. Tucker’s contract states he may only resign without liability if he provides 90 days of notice — but his resignation letter was given to the board only a few hours before he left his post.
How conveeeeenient, right?
Not only a failure but an authoritarian, so it seems. Next School District, beware!
