Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski is asking the Board of Education not to renew Superintendent Verna Ruffin's contract due to "serious issues of trust and communication."
In a letter from the mayor, he said he disapproved of a vote regarding the superintendent's contract. The vote, which recommended a three-year contract extension, happened on March 21.
Pernerewski said he has been made aware of serious communication issues between Ruffin and the school district's teachers and administrators. He notes that the results of a school survey reinforces this, calling it disheartening.
"It is absolutely abundantly clear that a large number of our students struggle to achieve, as demonstrated by test scores well below state goals and state averages," Pernerewski wrote.
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The mayor said the district's test scores are not satisfactory and "we cannot be complacent about them."
"I find it troubling that a majority of the Board of Education did not consider this more seriously," he continued.
NBC Connecticut has reached out to Ruffin for comment but has not yet heard back.
