Embattled principal is out in Farrell

FARRELL, Pa. — In a meeting that lasted about five minutes, Lee V. McFerren officially lost his job as Farrell High School principal.

The embattled administrator, who had been on an unpaid suspension since February, sat in the audience of about 75 people at the school district offices Monday evening and listened as the board voted 7-2 to oust him.

He had been facing 45 charges brought by the school district that had been aired in public at his request. A hearing began in March, ended after two days and began again in May for another three days.

The school board had heard testimony that suggested he’d been a poor administrator, leaving staff unprepared for scheduling issues and wasting instructional time by requiring more teachers to be in the cafeteria to take care of discipline problems there.

Staff testified that he yelled at teachers and put them down, even in front of students, and that morale was low.

Read more in Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com