Greenwich School Board May Decide Band Director's Fate

GREENWICH, CT - The fate of suspended Greenwich High School band director John Yoon could be decided Wednesday night at a special meeting of the Greenwich Board of Education.

The board will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. at the ​Julian Curtiss School gymnasium at 180 E. Elm St.

The board ​is scheduled “to discuss, deliberate, and possibly to vote on the anticipated report from the Impartial Hearing Officer on the issue of the employment of Mr. John Yoon,” according to the agenda.

Yoon, who has been suspended since April, is facing termination as recommended by Superintendent William McKersie. McKersie made the recommendation after receiving two complaints from parents and students that the popular music teacher bullied students. McKersie has said those allegations violated a last chance agreement Yoon signed last year.He reportedly has been been suspended at least three times and received six written warnings related to run-ins with students and colleagues during his 23-year tenure at the school.

Nine days of hearings before an arbitrator were held last summer and this fall. The arbitrator’s report issued Dec. 1 recommended upholding McKersie’s recommendation to terminate Yoon.

If the board does not make a decision Wednesday night, a second special meeting is scheduled for Thursday from 8 to 10 p.m., following its budget meeting at 7 p.m. at the Cos Cob School.