QUINCY, MI (WTVB) – Quincy Community Schools Superintendent Craig Artist and high school principal David Spalding were placed on administrative leave with pay by the Quincy Board of Education Saturday, pending an internal review of their actions concerning the alleged behavior of a former teacher. The action came during a special meeting of the school board.
After comments on the matter from the public were accepted, the board went into closed session, which was followed by the formal action.
The moves came in the midst of a stormy controversy that has many in the Quincy community questioning the conduct of past and present Quincy school administrators about how they managed allegations against former teacher Jason Farrell. Farrell was arrested last month and is facing sexual assault charges involving a female student.
Farrell is facing six charges of criminal sexual conduct in Branch County including two first degree counts. He is now facing an additional three counts in Calhoun County.
Farrell was employed by the Quincy School District for 20 years before resigning in January 2017 on the same day the district placed him on leave in connection with the allegations of improper conduct. A number of parents during a recent school board meeting made accusations that teachers and administrators ignored warnings about Farrell that came from students along with parents and that the red flags went up long before he was arrested.
A Branch County District Court probable cause hearing for Farrell is scheduled for June 1, 2017. He is being held in the Branch County Jail on a $300,000 bond.
