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Columbus principal Robert Griffiths was placed on administrative leave on Monday, October 9. District officials are currently performing an investigation into the matter. At the time of writing this article, the reason behind placing the Olentangy High School educator on leave had not been specified. Nonetheless, netizens have taken to social media to speculate.
On Monday, Todd Meyer, the Olentangy Local School District superintendent released a statement to assure families that the safety of their students was not in jeopardy. The note went on to add that Robert Griffiths’ “administrative leave” does not affect the educational institution’s “integrity” either. Meyer explained:
"Administrative leave is a procedural step to protect the integrity of an investigation… we realize this news may raise questions. Because this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot offer further details at this time. The best interests of our students and staff remain our top priority, and we will work to ensure students, families, and staff are not impacted further by this transition."
The superintendent ended his statement by saying that Olentangy Schools was “committed” to their mission of facilitating “maximum learning for every student.”
Everything to know about Robert Griffiths as netizens speculate reasons behind the principal’s dismissal
According to the The Columbus Dispatch, Robert Griffiths has been the principal of the Olentangy High School since 2017. Prior to that, he worked as an assistant principal at Olentangy Liberty High School.
A LinkedIn account under the name of “Rob Griffiths” claimed that the man in question has been part of the Olentangy community for the past 23 years. Prior to the same, he reportedly worked as a sales representative at Fisher Scientific.
The account also shared that Griffiths studied at Muskingum University.
Although the credentials seem similar to that of the Olentangy High School principal’s, no official sources have confirmed that the LinkedIn account is of the latter’s.
Netizens have now taken to social media to speculate why the principal was placed on an “administrative leave.”
Many found it peculiar that details about the same were not made public. Some suggested that Griffiths was dismissed after having an argument with a fellow employee. Others alleged that they were bullied by the principal. Some reactions to the latest announcement read:
It is important to note that the exact reason behind Robert Griffiths leave remains unclear at the time of writing this article. One cannot presume that the aforementioned speculations were the reason for his departure.
As of now, Trond Smith, the director of secondary schools and the former principal of Olentangy Orange High School will serve as the administrative leave at the Olentangy High School.
District officials announced that those who have any queries regarding the school can contact Smith through the email [email protected]. They can also follow him on X (formerly known as Twitter) through @DillonDavis56 account or call Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904.
