Frustration spills into school board meeting after a beloved Cherry Hill principal’s contract wasn’t renewed
David Francis-Maurer, known among students as “DFM,” joined Cherry Hill High School East in 2023 as an administrator.
Students, teachers, parents, and grandparents rallied at this week’s Cherry Hill school board meeting around a beloved high school administrator whose contract was not renewed.
Over the nearly four-hour meeting, advocates for David Francis-Maurer called the vice principal a “rare talent,” an advocate for students, and a “remarkable” relationship builder. Some questioned the school board’s decision-making, while others warned of dwindling student morale without Francis-Maurer.
Francis-Maurer, known among students as “DFM,” joined Cherry Hill High School East in 2023. He was brought on as an assistant principal for the incoming ninth-grade class. Prior to his role in Cherry Hill, he was a math teacher and administrator in the Boston area and in the United Kingdom.
Earlier this month, hundreds of students walked out of Cherry Hill East to protest the nonrenewal of Francis-Maurer’s contract. A student-initiated petition to save the assistant principal’s job has garnered nearly 700 signatures.
An attorney for Francis-Maurer said earlier this month that the administrator’s nonrenewal was involuntary.
Speaking to the school board Tuesday, Simran Shah, a sophomore at Cherry Hill East, called the decision “ridiculous.”
“I’ve seen the kind of love and respect that he gives to students and how he understands where we’re coming from,” Shah said, adding that “not a lot of teachers at East” can do that.
Stella Kim, sophomore class president, said: “I do not know the reason for Dr. Maurer’s departure, and I’ve been told that I never will, but I do know the impact that he’s had on our school.”
Urging the school board to reconsider Francis-Maurer’s contract, Kim said, “After speaking with so many students, we’re left wondering what could possibly outweigh what he’s contributed for us.”
Multiple students spoke fondly of their interactions with Francis-Maurer, from fist bumps in the hallway to heartfelt counseling over course registration.
Speaking on behalf of school faculty, math teacher Jeff Killon, who has worked in Cherry Hill for more than 25 years, said Francis-Maurer’s high-level math background gave him the ability to “facilitate instruction that is both rigorous and acceptable.”
“His level of transparency and openness is a rare and commendable trait and has earned our respect for his decisions regarding our department, even when we may not agree,” Killon said.
Parents and grandparents chimed in as well.
Cherry Hill parent Gary Steinmetz called Francis-Maurer a “real talent.”
Melissa Friedman, a Cherry Hill parent and educator who applied for the assistant principal position that Francis-Maurer was ultimately hired for, said: “He was the right choice. He was a better choice than me, and I take so much pride in what I do.”
At the meeting, Superintendent Kwame Morton said that personnel-related matters are “not something that would be up for discussion.”
Nina Baratti, public information officer for Cherry Hill Public Schools, said in an email that the district does not discuss personnel matters publicly.