DUNDEE PRINCIPAL REMAINS ON LEAVE

In the eyes of the law, Dundee Middle School Principal Kirt Cannon
has a clean past and no criminal record.

Yet the Dundee Community Schools Board of Education is considering
terminating him after six months on the job because of his
involvement in a misdemeanor drug charge in another county that has
since been expunged from his record.

And there is a group of parents who believe that any association with
illegal drugs, past or present, near or far, is reason enough to send
him on his way.

"Do we have skeletons in our closet? Of course we do," Veronica Moore
said when addressing the board of education Monday night. "But he is
completely inappropriate to be a role model. This is not the kind of
person we need our children to look up to."

The board of education listened to comments of parents and citizens,
including those who supported Mr. Cannon. Parent Sheilda Deaton said
Mr. Cannon has been a positive influence on her daughter. "Mr. Cannon
is the first person in years that has taken an interest in her. My
daughter really looks up to him."

Then, for more than two hours, the board met in closed session with
Mr. Cannon and his attorney to discuss his fate.

Afterward, board members decided to wait before determining his
permanent job status. In a 4-2 vote, the board decided to table the
matter until at least Monday and Mr. Cannon remains on paid
administrative leave.

At issue is an incident that occurred in February, 2006, in Genesee
County near Flint. Mr. Cannon was arrested after police found some
marijuana in the glove box of a car he was driving, according to
articles published by The Flint Journal that have been circulating
throughout Dundee by e-mail.

Mr. Cannon said the marijuana was not his and that he was driving a
borrowed car. He passed a drug test and his fingerprints were not
detected on the baggie.

At the time of his arrest, Mr. Cannon was an assistant principal at
Hamady High School in Genesee County, where he apparently grew up and
dedicated his career.

Numerous news articles were written in Flint about Mr. Cannon's
status and if he should remain on the job as an educator. Board
meetings there sometimes were contentious and that type of emotion
carried to Dundee.

Victoria Fisk, a middle school student, approached the board Monday
and briefly discussed the past incident, including details of who
owned the marijuana and whose fingerprints were or were not on it.
She told the board she has a 148-signature petition from students who
want him to remain.

"We believe everybody deserves a second chance," Victoria said. "All
we want is for you to reconsider."

About 50 people attended the meeting Monday night.

Before the closed session, Mr. Cannon's attorney addressed the board.
Mr. Cannon was present at the meeting but did not speak publicly. But
his attorney had stern words for the board, warning it that whatever
happened in Genesee County legally does not exist because the
misdemeanor charge was expunged from his record.

"The board is not to consider it in any way," said Michael P. Manley
of Flint. "It never happened, according to the law."

While Mr. Manley stopped short of threatening to sue the district, he
did mention the word more than once.

"I'm not here to threaten lawsuits," he said. "There is legal
precedent in this case."

There are other issues that have some people concerned, including his
involvement with a consulting firm owned by an educator and the use
of his first name. While he is known as "Kirt" in Dundee, his
apparent given name is "Kirk," the name he used in Genesee County.

Ron Tarrant, Dundee's superintendent, said he knew of both names and
said Mr. Cannon preferred to use "Kirt."

Mr. Tarrant said he did a complete background check on Mr. Cannon
before he was hired. He said because there was no conviction, there
was nothing on Mr. Cannon's record suggesting that he had been in
legal trouble previously.

"Nothing showed up," Mr. Tarrant said. "I don't Google people. There
was no need to."

But as rumors spread around Dundee, it became clear that a growing
faction of people were concerned about his role as principal. Mr.
Tarrant, sensing some board members' uneasiness, placed Mr. Cannon on
paid administrative leave.

Veteran teacher Aaron Carner was named acting principal and he
received several votes of confidence from the public.

But there is a division among parents, community members and,
apparently, the board regarding Mr. Cannon.

"It's tearing apart this community," said parent Ms. Deaton. "It's
tearing apart this school system."