The embattled head of the California School for the Deaf has been removed from his post, the state’s top education official said Friday.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson’s announcement came a week after he appeared on campus, where teachers, staff and parents aired their grievances against Sean Virnig, the school’s first deaf superintendent and an alumni.
The announcement letter to the school community did not give a reason for Virnig’s ouster, although Torlakson did indicate he wanted to make sure the school year runs as smoothly as possible.
“Tom listened to everyone and decided to make a change in leadership,” Robert Oakes, assistant communications director for the California Department of Education, explained in an email Monday. “The replacement process will make sure that everyone plays a role in hiring a new Superintendent.”
Virnig refused to comment for this story.
State Special Schools & Services Division Director Scott Kerby, who was assigned as the “acting superintendent” for the start of the school year on Aug. 22, will continue in that role until a new superintendent is selected, Torlakson’s letter states.
Virnig, who was “temporarily” reassigned to the State Department of Education in Sacramento to get some coaching the first week of school, will take on new duties in an unspecified role in the department’s Student Support and Special Services Branch, Torlakson said. That division oversees after-school activities, student support, nutrition, special education and special state services and schools, such as the California School for the Deaf.
The news of Virnig’s departure, which had started to circulate unofficially at the school earlier in the week, was greeted with jubilation and excitement in the campus community. The school’s staff had issued a vote of no confidence in the superintendent earlier this summer.
“This decision is in the best interest of our school, our students and our staff,” said Sulghi Hong, the school’s Service Employees International Union Local 1000 representative. “We look forward to a great academic year and a bright future for our CSD (California School for the Deaf) community. We appreciate that CDE (California Department of Education) recognized the severity of our situation and took measures to rectify it. We still have more work to do. We are determined to offer our cooperation and support to ensure that our students, staff, families and community members have a new Superintendent of world-class caliber to bring the very best to CSD.”
The move to oust Virnig from his superintendent’s role — effective last Friday — followed more than a week of protests by teachers, staff, parents and students who said after five years of trying to work with him they had enough.
They had accused him of “bullying,” “unwillingness to listen or work with staff,” and “ineffective leadership.”
Hong, who is deaf, previously said through an American Sign Language translator that under Virnig, enrollment had dropped from 450 students to 400 and teacher turnover has increased. He also said Virnig would retaliate against those who spoke against him by moving them to different positions or cutting off communication with them, creating a “culture of fear.”
Elvis Zornoza, president of the school’s association of families, teachers and counselors, said his organization was in “awe of the CSD staff and families for coming together and achieving this commendable result.”
Torlakson stated in an accompanying letter that stakeholder groups from the school will be consulted and involved in interviewing and selecting the new superintendent.
Ethan Bernstein, the school’s dean of students, will be the acting assistant site superintendent to help Kerby, the letter states.
“I am confident that these two able educators and strong advocates for deaf education will ensure our students at CSD continue to receive the world-class education we all agree they deserve,” Torlakson stated.
