A Minneapolis elementary school principal's interim replacement was named Tuesday, but school officials remained tight-lipped about why he was relieved of duty, and a school board member refused to discuss allegations that it stemmed directly from an argument the two had last week.
Tim Cadotte, principal at Burroughs Elementary, was placed on indefinite administrative leave Monday, following what parents described as a heated argument between the principal and the board member that included charges of racism.
Parent leaders at the southwest Minneapolis school say the board member, Chris Stewart, and other district officials have cast Burroughs parents' activism in the face of impending boundary and program changes in the district for the 2010-11 school year as "prima facie" evidence of racism against blacks.
Board members held an executive session Tuesday evening to discuss "personnel issues." The meeting was closed. It was not clear whether Cadotte was discussed.
Stan Alleyne, a spokesman for the Minneapolis schools, cited data practices laws and said district officials will continue to decline to comment on the details behind "the issue or incident" involving Cadotte until the end of the disciplinary process.
Cadotte had led the award-winning school since 1999.
Alleyne said the interim principal, Marsha Seltz, will begin work at Burroughs this morning. Seltz retired from Lake Harriet Community School in southwest Minneapolis last year after 25 years as a principal and teacher.
Parents said the disciplinary action against Cadotte came down from the district headquarters last week after board member Stewart visited the school.