Parents demand answers for firing of Homewood-Flossmoor principal

FLOSSMOOR, Ill. (WLS) -- Parents demanded answers from the school board at a meeting a little more than a week after the firing of Homewood-Flossmoor principal Ryan Pitcock.

"As elected officials you should understand that lack of a communication is a political mistake," said one parent.

The board voted last week to buy out the last year of Pitcock's four year contract, but why he was fired remains a mystery to parents. The board cited legal reasons for keeping the community in the dark, but they also said his decision to ban a student from prom after a controversial talent show performance isn't to blame for his termination.

"I am just as frustrated as you are because if I were able to share with you the details of our lengthy independent review of the cirucmstances and our deliberations, I think you'd understand why we made the decision we did," said Debbie Berman, board member.

The answers parents and students were hoping to get from the school board they, instead, got from staff members who spoke out.

"I would not have felt ethical if I did not come up here and say what's going on," said staff member Kim Smith.

"We all came in gung ho rah for Dr. Pitcock and now with some of the other teachers expressing what they did, it's not so black and white," said parent Candice Barrera.

The board will begin the search for a new principal in the fall. They hope to have a principal in place by next summer.