Providence superintendent resigns after losing trust of his district

May 21, 2021 7:10 pm

Nicole Poitras,

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE)- An agreement was reached with the PPSD Education Commissioner Friday evening to terminate Providence Schools Superintendent Harrison Peters.

The agreement comes after a week of calls from local leaders for Peters’ resignation, and a vote of no confidence from the Providence School Board.

Peters came under fire when he admitted that prior to hiring Dr. Olayinka Alege, he was aware of allegations against Alege that he forcibly rubbed a child’s foot.

Peters cited the loss of his district’s trust as a reason for stepping down in a statement released on Saturday morning.

“I don’t have that trust needed to make change,” he said.

“I will always be driven by who matters — the kids — and so, with deep sadness, I am announcing my resignation today. I hope this decision will allow the focus to stay on students and the changes that need to happen for their futures. To the students and staff I’ve had the honor to serve in this district, I am always rooting for you.

Peters’ employment will end immediately. According to the settlement agreement, Peters will walk away with an advanced settlement totaling $170K. That includes:

the salary of $891.35 per diem;
continued health and dental insurance coverage
the car allowance of Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750) per month
an amount equal to what PPSD would have contributed to the Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island (1% of salary)
an a mount equal to what PPSD would have contributed to a supplemental retirement account or annuity (15% of salary); and
accrued vacation time amounting to $10,696.08.

“I am as committed to our turnaround effort as I was on the first day of the state’s intervention a year and a half ago,” Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green wrote In a letter to the Providence school community Friday. “In the coming days, I will have more information to share about interim leadership at PPSD, but in the meantime, my team and I will continue to lead decision-making for the District.”