The Brookhaven School District Board of Trustees and Superintendent Lisa Karmacharya are in negotiations over her employment contract, but officials aren’t yet confirming what this means for Karmacharya’s future with the district.

This announcement came during a packed school board meeting Tuesday night during which Rita Rich, a former Brookhaven principal, issued a demand for Karmacharya’s resignation or termination.

Rich was backed by a room filled with likeminded community members wearing red “Ole Brook Panther Proud” shirts.

Prior to Rich’s remarks, however, board attorney Bob Allen briefly reported that the Brookhaven school board and Karmacharya have “reached agreement pertaining to the major issues of her contract.”

Discussion about the contract apparently remains ongoing, though a conclusion is anticipated soon.

“We should have loose ends wrapped up by the end of the week,” said Allen.

Karmacharya’s employment contract with the district has two years remaining.

When asked after the meeting whether the purpose of ongoing talks is to negotiate an early end to Karmacharya’s contract, Allen declined to comment.

“I can’t say anymore than I did from the podium,” Allen said.

However, the attorney did say he doesn’t anticipate a called board meeting occurring this week and confirmed that contract negotiations include Karmacharya’s personal attorney.

Willie Harrison, school board president also had no comment.

When reached Wednesday morning, Karmacharya declined to speak about the matter.

Rich addressed board members during a public comment session Tuesday evening and directed a number of complaints and criticisms against the superintendent.

The bulk of her remarks were devoted to detailing what Rich described as a hostile environment in the district in which teachers have been ill-treated.

“In my 41 and a half years in education and my years since my retirement I’ve not seen or heard morale as low as it is now,” Rich said.

“Brookhaven District has a no tolerance policy regarding bullying. Our teachers have been bullied for the past two years,” Rich continued. “No wonder so many are leaving.”

Rich, who retired from the Brookhaven School District in 2004, described the current administrative staff as overbearing and micromanaging principals and teachers.

“The principals and the assistant principals have the direct responsibility for the students and student learning, not central office,” Rich said. “Additionally, there is often confusion by the teachers in knowing whose directive to follow.”

Additionally problematic, in Rich’s view, has been Karmacharya’s use of consultants.

“Just how much have we paid to external firms and individuals with our tax dollars?” Rich said. “And yet, we’re on Academic Watch.”

She also criticized many of Karmacharya’s administrative hires as inexperienced.

Rich additionally cited district performance data, including test scores, lowering graduation rates, and the district’s Academic Watch (or D) rating.

“If we continue on the same path, our next step is failure,” Rich said.

With these critiques in view, Rich said Karmacharya’s time as superintendent must end.

“Every statistic clearly shows that Brookhaven School District is failing our children. This is a direct reflection of the superintendent’s leadership,” Rich said in conclusion to her remarks.

“For the sake of our children and our community, we demand the superintendent’s immediate resignation, and, barring that, we demand that the board take immediate action to terminate her employment,” Rich said.

Most of the room fell into cheers and applause at this demand.

Standing by Rich during her remarks were longtime Karmcharya critic the Rev. Larry Jointer, local businessman Jim McKennon, and Suzanne Britt, the district’s parent of the year.

The superintendent was present when the school board meeting convened Tuesday evening, but left shortly thereafter and didn’t appear to be visibly present during any of the meeting’s remainder.

The agenda for Tuesday’s meeting indicated Karmacharya would make some public remarks after the meeting opened, but she chose not to deliver these remarks.

Following Tuesday’s open session, board members met in closed executive session to discuss a student matter and a personnel matter. Karmacharya wasn’t present for the executive session, either.

Four of the five school board members were present Tuesday night, with Dan Brown absent.