The Stratford Board of Education voted to place the district's superintendent on leave as he faces charges for an incident that happened late last month.
The board met for a special meeting Thursday night to discuss the matter. Superintendent Uyi Osunde was charged with breach of peace for an incident that happened in New Haven on Nov. 25.
The decision was made after meeting in executive session to discuss the incident. With a 4-3 vote, the board ultimately decided to place Osunde on leave. He was present at the meeting when the board made their decision.
"We take this seriously and our first, really our only concern, is our students and to make sure our staff feels comfortable in their work environment," Chairperson Mike Henrick said in an interview.
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Some board members felt that it was a personal matter with Osunde and his wife, while others felt that he should be placed on leave while an investigation is conducted by an outside agency.
The current director of pupil services, Heather Borges, will serve as interim superintendent. Henrick said the board's decision to appoint her interim superintendent was based on Borges' years of dedication and service to the district.
Henrick said tonight's decision was the first step in the review process of events that unfolded prior to Osunde's arrest. He said the Board of Education feels that putting him on leave was the best decision to make sure the moral integrity of the district remains intact.
He hopes Osunde will take time to heal in his absence.
