Peters Township High School principal Tom Hajzus has been cooling his heels at home for the past week.
Hajzus, who has served as high school principal for 14 years, has been on paid academic leave since Feb. 25, but his absence from the high school is not related to claims of bullying and unfair labor practices by the district's teachers union, said district spokeswoman Pat Kennedy. She could not say why he was suspended.
Hajzus was suspended by Superintendent Diane Kirk. Kennedy added that there is a procedure that must be followed before Hajzus can return, but she couldn't explain what that procedure entailed, only to say that the ball was in the district's court.
"He could be back very soon, or he could be out for a while," she said.
School board President Tom McMurray said that since it was a personnel matter, he had no comment on the issue. However, he did say that there were many factors in Hajzus' case, and he didn't know when it would be resolved.
Hajzus, who could not be reached for comment, is also facing a hearing before the state Labor Relations Board from a claim filed by Walt Michalski of the Peters Township Federation of Teachers.
In his claim, Michalski alleged Hajzus threatened a high school teacher about a grievance that the teacher filed. Hajzus allegedly told the teacher that the best situation would be if no witnesses showed up at the grievance hearing, which the union construed as a threat.
Michalski said the issue of the grievance — a violation of the contract between the district and the union — was heard at the district level. Results were not revealed.
