Kidd Removed From All Board of Education Subcommittees

Merrill Kidd, the Republican member of the Board of Education who found herself at the center of controversy last week after allegations surfaced that she sent harassing Facebook messages to another school board member, has been removed from her position on all subcommittees of the school board, according to an email Board of Education Chairman Chris Pattacini sent to board members Wednesday. 

"Effective immediately, Ms. Kidd will no longer be serving as a member of any subcommittees of the board. I felt it necessary to take this action, in light of recent events, and to ensure that the work of the board continues in a proper and productive manner," Pattacini wrote in his email. 

Since allegations surfaced last week that Kidd sent a number of late-night harassing and threatening Facebook messages to Kelly Luxenberg, a Democratic member of the school board, Kidd has maintained that she has no plans of resigning her seat on the Board of Education. Democrats on the school board unsuccessfully tried to get Kidd to step down at last Monday's meeting of the Board of Education, but she left the meeting afterwards without acknowledging their request. There is no provision in the Manchester Town Charter for the removal of elected members of the Board of Education or Board of Directors for improper or illegal conduct, so there is nothing the school board can do to force her resignation. 

Kidd served on the Curriculum & Instruction Review, Buildings and Sites, Community Relations, and Policy Committee subcommittees of the school board before her removal.

Kidd told Patch Wednesday that she still had no plans of resigning from the school board and planned to attend subcommittee meetings anyway. 

"I think that this has now become a political thing," Kidd said. "It's not something else. I don't know what to say at this point…the parties are fighting. They want me out." 

Pattacini did not return a call for comment Wednesday, but stated in his email to school board members that he "instructed" Kidd to no longer attend the subcommittee meetings. 

"Please note that while I also instructed her to not attend any of the subcommittee meetings, I do not have the authority or the power to deny her attendance at the meetings," Pattacini wrote. "However, if she chooses to attend any of the subcommittee meetings she will be there in her capacity as a member of the general public and not as a Board member." 

Pattacini also included an updated list of subcommittee assignments in his email: 

Curriculum & Instruction Review – Cruz/Hagenow - Co-Chairs, Crockett, WaltonPersonnel & Finance & Negotiations – Crockett/Leon – Co-Chairs, Hagenow, PattaciniBuildings and Sites – Crockett/Leon – Co-Chairs, Hagenow, LuxenbergCommunity Relations – Crockett/Luxenberg – Co-Chairs, Hagenow, WaltonTransportation & Residency –Luxenberg – Chair, Crockett, Hagenow, ScappaticciPolicy Committee – Cruz/Hagenow – Co-Chairs, Hagenow, ScappaticciBOE/BOD Shared Services Committee – Crockett, Hagenow, Leon, Pattacini

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