SHARON, MASS. (WHDH) – The Sharon school superintendent is making explosive racial discrimination charges against the Sharon School Committee after they decided not to renew her contract.
Dr. Victoria Greer’s contract is set to expire on June 30, 2021, and the school committee recently voted not to renew it, Committee Chair Judy Crosby said in a statement.
Greer has been in tough negotiations with Sharon Teachers about returning to school but she said her complaint is unrelated to that.
In a complaint filed with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, Dr. Greer says she was: “subjected to demeaning and racist comments…”
The complaint singles out two school committee members.
Dr. Greer said that while she was advocating for more African-American students in advanced placement courses during a school committee meeting, one member, “repeatedly interrupted me, proclaiming that black students are insignificant.”
She stated that that member and another member, “were often so abusive and demeaning toward me, by shouting and yelling,” that several meetings had to be suspended.
Dr. Greer, hired in July of 2017, is the first person of color to serve as school superintendent in Sharon.
She said the abuse and attacks on her performance have gone on for months and that one member: “criticized my decision to place an African-American parent on a hiring committee.”
After Dr. Greer’s attorney informed the school committee of the MCAD complaint on Friday, the School committee released a statement saying: “The Sharon School Committee has voted not to renew the contract of Dr. Victoria Greer as Superintendent of Sharon Public Schools. Dr. Greer’s contract with the district expires on June 30, 2021. The Sharon School Committee will have no further comment on this matter. “
Parents and community members gathered to support Dr. Greer.
Ruth Beckerman-Rodau said she witnessed the racist treatment of the superintendent at a School Committee meeting in 2019.
“I was so appalled at the way they spoke to — some members, not all — to the superintendent. Frankly, I couldn’t believe it and I went to the school, to her office and I hand-delivered a note of appology for myself as a resident that she was being treated this way and a plant. As if that was gonna do something. But, I didn’t know what else to do.”
Beckerman-Rodau said she sees this as “underlying racism.”
“I’ve watch the School Committee meetings for many years. No former superintendent was treated with the disrespect. Not that everyone agreed with everything the former superintendent said but none was treated with the disrespect.”
Dr. Greer has been placed on administrative leave. She has declined to comment except to say that she is saddened and disappointed by this.
The two school committee members have also declined to comment on the allegations.
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