The Grand Ledge school board has selected Dr. David Chapin to be the district’s interim superintendent after last week’s decision to begin dismissal proceedings against Brian Metcalf.
Metcalf’s dismissal came after a week of controversy over online comments he made about the death of George Floyd.
School board member Jarrod Smith clarified that Chapin is not replacing Metcalf, saying “we are authorizing the appointment of our interim superintendent to assist with district operations for the time being while our superintendent is on administrative leave.”
Board president Denise DuFort commented that Chapin has a reputation as a strong community leader who is "highly qualified" for the job.
The vote was unanimous.
Chapin was superintendent in East Lansing for nine years before resigning in 2013 to take a faculty position in the MSU College of Education.
Chapin was appointed at the end of a nearly five-hour school board meeting Monday night. About 30 people spoke during the meeting’s public comment, some in support of retaining Metcalf.