With little to no explanation, the Little Elm Independent School District (LEISD) Board of Trustees announced this week that it put the district’s superintendent on administrative leave, prompting calls for increased transparency by parents and community members.
Superintendent Daniel Gallagher’s removal was announced on February 19 in a district Facebook post that claimed he was placed on leave because of the “immediate leadership needs of our students, teachers, staff, and administration.” No additional details were provided regarding why the board decided to remove him.
The personnel shakeup came just a few months after Gallagher announced he would retire at the end of 2023.
“What I am most proud of is having the opportunity to work alongside great teachers, staff, and administrators. Our focus has always been kids in Little Elm ISD. I know that the students of Little Elm ISD are in great hands with these wonderful professionals,” said Gallagher, per a district news release from November 2022.
The Little Elm Journal reported that a meeting of the LEISD Board of Trustees on Monday was attended by parents who voiced concerns that the district was not being transparent enough about its decisions, citing the Facebook post and an earlier decision to put the district on a four-day school week, allegedly without soliciting input from the community.
The Dallas Express reached out to the board and asked about its decision to remove Gallagher. The board offered a statement:
“The Board and the Superintendent were not working as a Team of Eight and the decision was to place the superintendent on administrative leave while they try to work out an amicable resolution. This change at this time is necessary for the immediate and ongoing leadership needs for our students, as well as our outstanding teachers, staff, and administration.”
The district’s assistant superintendent for business and finance services, Shay Adams, was named acting superintendent by the board until a search for a permanent replacement can be conducted, according to Community Impact.
Complaints over a lack of transparency in school districts are nothing new in North Texas.
As previously reported in The Dallas Express, a poll found that a plurality of respondents in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro believed their local school districts needed to be more transparent.
A majority of respondents registered the sentiment that the Dallas Independent School District (DISD), the second biggest school district in the state, could use increased transparency following years of scandals involving alleged grade manipulation and corruption.
There was a survey sent to the staff & parents to vote on a 4-day & a 5-day calendar. When the board was presented the results, they said there wouldn’t be a vote & requested staff to bring back 2 5-day calendars for a vote the next month.