Former Cherry Hill East assistant principal presents case to school board on why he should stay in the job.

David Francis-Maurer said he lost his job as assistant principal at Cherry Hill High School East because he shared his concerns about things such as potential student substance abuse.

His assertions, made at a special Monday school board meeting, appeared to contradict the reasons the district cited for not renewing his contract.

Francis-Maurer was hired by the district in 2023, according to archived school board meeting minutes, and, according to Francis-Maurer, he was told in May that his contract would not be renewed.

School districts and school boards, citing privacy laws, usually do not publicly disclose their rationale for terminating employees.

But Francis-Maurer’s allegations came during a Donaldson hearing that he acknowledged requesting, triggering a special board meeting. Donaldson hearings, according to the New Jersey School Board Association’s website, are an opportunity for a nonrenewed staff member to convince the board to reject the chief school administrator's recommendation and to offer reemployment.

As the Donaldson hearing began, Katherine Gilfillan, a solicitor working with the Cherry Hill school board, asked Francis-Maurer to address "the lack of professional communication and collaboration with colleagues and supervisors and your response to feedback and your failure to complete certain professional responsibilities, specifically evaluation and supervision of staff."

Francis-Maurer alleged that starting last September, he "was told repeatedly to leave (his) identity at the door. I was criticized for being too present in the building because my car was one of the first in the parking lot. I was chastised for responding to emails I had been cc'd on, my reflections on practices were regularly muted in spaces where I once had been encouraged to bring a fresh perspective, and still, I showed up professionally consistently and in service to the students, family and staff (that) I'm proud to support.”

He said that in February he brought concerns about potential student substance abuse to the attention of Cherry Hill High School East Principal Daniel Finkle and suggested that district and state protocols be followed. Finkle, Francis-Maurer further alleged, responded: "I'm the principal. It's my decision as to whether I want to recommend you for employment the following year. Central office will be very comfortable if I say I don't want to bring you back next year."

Further attempts to address his concerns with other school administrators, including Diane Leber, director of human resources, and Neil Burti, director of secondary education, went nowhere, Francis-Maurer alleged.

In late February, Francis-Maurer said he filed a complaint with Superintendent Kwame Morton to inform him how drug testing protocols were being ignored, reports of suicidal ideations from students were inadequately addressed, support for "medically vulnerable students" was not properly planned when overnight trips were taken and that identity-based comments were made to him or reported to him by others.

Francis-Maurer also alleged that "within days" of filing the complaint with Morton, some of his concerns appeared to be validated. For example, the number of students referred for drug testing "increased exponentially compared to the first half of the year."

The former assistant principal also alleged that his actions accelerated his work performance review. When he received it, "its content bore little resemblance to any of the prior evaluations" and that he was told "that I didn't have tenure (and) that I would be gone if I didn't get on the same page." Francis-Maurer further alleged that he was never informed of the results of some of his claims.

When he was done speaking, many of the approximately 50 members of the public attending the meeting applauded and a few gave him a standing ovation.

The New Jersey School Board Association website states that within three working days of a Donaldson hearing, the school board must provide written notification of its final determination.

After Francis-Maurer spoke, Board President Gina Winters asked the other board members — all of whom were present except for Adam Greenbaum — if they had any questions and requested a motion from the board, presumably regarding Francis-Maurer's employment. Both questions went verbally unanswered. No one else from the district at the meeting, including Superintendent Morton, commented about any of the specific allegations that Francis-Maurer made.

At the start of Monday's meeting, Winters stated that only one public comment session would be held and that it would be limited to 30 minutes in length. During that public comment session, Cherry Hill parent Melissa Freedman noted that the meeting started at 4 p.m. on a Monday, was not simulcast live and that no phone comments would be allowed. She questioned the transparency of those actions.

Freedman also spoke highly of Francis-Maurer's tenure at Cherry Hill High School East, as did about a half-dozen students who discussed various positive traits, including his encouragement of diversity and the ability to sympathize and learn their stories.

"He's one of my favorite people I have ever met. I cannot even fathom the idea of his removal from Cherry Hill East," one of those students, Lauren Clayton, told the board. During her remarks, she also referred to Francis-Maurer as "DFM," the affectionate nickname he received while working at the high school and called his termination "utterly ridiculous."

After the meeting, between hugs and conversations with many of the members of the public, Francis-Maurer referred a 70and73.com reporter’s questions regarding next steps to his attorney, Armen McOmber of McOmber McOmber & Luber of Red Bank.

McOmber said that the special meeting made it clear that Francis-Maurer would need to find a new job and declined to say if legal action against the district would be taken.