VOORHEESVILLE — Charles Reader, a tenured Voorheesville music teacher, has resigned and school leaders won’t say why.

Reader’s resignation is effective at the end of the school year, said Superintendent Linda Langevin. He will be on paid leave until June 30, she said.
"It wasn’t really a paid leave," said school board President David Gibson yesterday. "He had sick time that he’s using; it’s not like we’re giving him a half-year off."

The school board unanimously approved Reader’s resignation at its January meeting, said Langevin.
Asked about the reason, Gibson said, "Personnel matters— it’s a matter of confidentiality — we don’t generally respond."

Reader’s music students are being taught now by a combination of teachers, Langevin said. Part-time music teachers have extended their hours and Lydia Tobler, a long-time Voorheesville music teacher and former department chair, has come out of retirement to teach, Langevin said.

The district will hire a new music teacher to begin in the fall, she said.
Langevin also declined comment on the reason for the resignation. Asked about Reader’s performance separate from the current situation, she said, "He was a good teacher."

Reader could not be reached for comment.

On Jan. 3, The Enterprise submitted a Freedom of Information Law request to the district, asking for information on Reader’s salary, duties, and employment record, as well as information on when he was placed on leave and if he was being paid. The questions have not yet been answered.
Kathy Fiero, president of the Voorheesville Teachers’ Association, also declined to comment on the reason for Reader’s resignation. "You can’t refute that," she said of rumors, "without betraying a confidence...It’s personal for him."
Fiero did say, "He was an excellent teacher, well liked by his students. He created a lot of enthusiasm for students to participate in the band."
Asked how teachers were responding to Reader’s resignation, Fiero said, "Fine."
Fiero herself has taught at Voorheesville for 16 years and been president of the teachers’ union since 1999. Asked if other tenured Voorheesville teachers had resigned in the wake of complaints or allegations rather than going through a hearing process, Fiero said not that she could think of. But, she said, it has happened at other school districts. "It depends on personal circumstances," she said.

Robert Crandall, a tenured physical education teacher at Voorheesville, was on paid leave for over two years as the district went through the state-required hearing process before a tenured teacher can be removed.

A hearing officer ultimately found Crandall guilty of four charges of misconduct and inappropriate behavior but ruled that he should not be dismissed; rather, he was suspended without pay for 60 days and has returned to the school this year to work on curriculum but is not teaching or coaching students.
Asked about Reader’s plans for his future, Fiero said she didn’t know specifics but concluded, "He has a great passion for music and is a well-liked teacher. I expect that he will continue to teach — just not at Voorheesville."