NORWICH – More questions were raised than answered with the announcement that the man many still consider to be the Norwich High School principal has filed a notice of claim against the district.
Thomas Knapp sat stoically as his wife Kathy rose during public comment at Tuesday night’s Norwich City School Board of Education meeting to speak on her husband’s behalf.
Mrs. Knapp announced that a notice of claim had been filed against the school district with the district clerk at 2:03 p.m. that afternoon. According to Mrs. Knapp’s statement, Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan was named along with the district in the filing.
A copy of the filing was presented by Mrs. Knapp to each of the school board members, but was not made public at the meeting.
During the public comment that followed the announcement, several district staff members and residents spoke out on Knapp’s behalf.
High School staff member Wanda Wallace said she had been excited when she first saw Knapp at the meeting, but was disappointed when she realized that his presence didn’t mean he would be resuming his leadership role at the school. “I do know that it makes no sense to me,” said Wallace. “He is a fine principal.”
“I have never seen anyone as well respected and well liked as Mr. Knapp,” said district resident Rosemary Brown. “We haven’t had a lot of good principals in the past. Think twice before you get rid of this man.”
Shortly after public comment, the board made a motion to move to executive session “to discuss a particular person’s employment history.” Members of the public were vocal in their disapproval.
“We come here to ask questions and hopefully get some answers,” said Rosemary Brown. “School starts in two weeks. Do we have a principal? Do we have a vice-principal?”
Longtime former city school superintendent Dr. Robert Cleveland has been filling in for Knapp at the high school since June.
School board president Bob Patterson cited policy prohibiting the discussion of personnel issues in a public forum and added that the board had been advised by the district’s legal counsel, John Lynch, not to make public comment on the filing. “They have served us with a notice of claim,” said Patterson. “That takes us into another arena.” Lynch accompanied the board into executive session.
Before leaving the room, Patterson responded to Brown’s concerns. “I will have the superintendent call you ... and get you an answer,” said Patterson.
Though members of the public waited out the hour and forty-five minute long executive session, they were left to speculate on the nature of Knapp’s claim against the district and what will happen next. No further comment was made by the board regarding the notice of claim.
Thomas Knapp declined to comment on the filing, stating that he was currently “under a commitment of confidentiality.”
According to New York State Education Law § 3813, Service of a notice of claim is a “condition precedent to bringing an action against a school district or board of education” (Parochial Bus Sys. v Board of Educ. of City of New York, 60 NY2d 539, 547).