"Chad Whitehead was the final straw," Huntingburg Elementary PTO President Shares Concerns

By: Corbin Lingenfelter, News Director

Huntingburg- In a room filled with parents of the Southwest Dubois County School Corporation, Huntingburg Elementary School PTO President Christina Cook expressed concerns over the recent resignations of school administrators in the corporation. 

Over the last two years, Southwest Dubois has had four administrators resign. Southridge Middle School Principal Chad Whitehead, who resigned Friday, was the fourth.

[Southridge Middle School Searching for New Principal]

Following her statement to the board, Cook shared her concerns with the media.

“I will have to say Chad Whitehead was the final straw,” Cook said, “It was the final push. He’s very loved in our community, he’s very liked. Basically, the way his resignation was handled.”

Cook told the board during the meeting “That it is time you start listening”.

“We have tried to get support in the past,” she said, “Especially the administrators that we’ve (the corporation) had for many years, who still have kids in the community that still go to the corporation. I just think that they’ve been kind of turned away not listened to. I think that’s what led us here today honestly.”

School Board President John Menke called the situation unfortunate.

“It’s unfortunate,” Menke said, “People leave jobs all the time for all different reasons. Whether it’s personal or what have you. I don’t really know, and I’m not obligated to, or am I going to discuss those because those are private matters, and they are employees of the corporation.”

Menke declined to comment on how the school corporation would correct concerns brought up by Cook.

Cook told the board she and the parents in the room would continue to attend the monthly school board meetings.