The superintendent of the Wrenshall School District has been temporarily suspended after having two verbal conflicts with another school official.
Superintendent Rick Herman is on paid administrative leave through May 3 after the incidents, which occurred April 17 and 18, said Dr. Troy Powers, chairman of the Wrenshall School Board. The suspension could be extended based on the results of an ongoing investigation on exactly what happened.
Powers said the School Board will meet again Wednesday in closed session to revisit the issue. If no additional action is taken Herman can go back to work May 4.
Efforts to reach Herman Friday were unsuccessful.
There was no student involved, no physical contact and police were not called. Powers described the disagreement as "odd" and said the board felt it needed to take action after it happened again the same week. The board made the decision at an emergency meeting April 19.
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"We felt that at least one of them needed a cooling off period. It could have been one or both, but the board felt at this time it was best to put the superintendent on paid administrative leave while we sort things out," Powers told the News Tribune.
Powers said no action has been taken on the other staff person involved but that the board could decide to do so. He said he could not identify the other staff person involved at this time and wouldn't yet talk about the subject of disagreement between the two school officials involved.
Officials at the school Friday declined comment, and instead read a brief statement saying that "the superintendent is the voice of the district and he is not available at this time. We have no comment."
