Norwich Teachers Rally At Board Meeting Over 'Toxic' Environment

NORWICH, CT — More than 150 teachers, parents, and students rallied at a Norwich middle school Tuesday night urging the Board of Education to take action against Superintendent Kristen Stringfellow, according to The Day. Stringfellow is accused of creating a toxic work environment.

In a closed-door special meeting, the board voted unanimously to expand the scope of a culture and climate study to “investigation of personnel complaints,” The Day reported.

The CEA wrote on Facebook: "The Norwich Teachers League is rallying tonight to call on the Board of Ed to do the right thing and support teachers in the face of an abusive district administration."

The CEA's Nancy Andrews wrote that the board's decision was "very disappointing."

"Investigation into personnel matters but no other changes," she wrote on Facebook. "Supt stays in place."

A Connecticut Education Association (CEA) survey of more than 230 Norwich teachers found that 96% feared retaliation if they spoke out about issues at the schools, according to WFSB 3-TV. Since July 2021, 135 teachers have resigned.

Several teachers who left the district came to Tuesday's meeting to support current teachers, saying that they weren't being heard by Stringfellow, WFSB 3-TV reported.

CEA President Kate Dias told NBC CT that educators are leaving the district at "alarming rates" and that "high levels of dissatisfaction (and) extraordinary distrust" show that there are management challenges.

Dias said that putting Stringfellow on leave "at this point makes sense," NBC CT reported.

Read more at WFSB 3-TV, NBC CT, and The Day.