Rochester School Board suspends Muñoz for five days over plagiarized letter

In a unanimous decision Tuesday, the Rochester School Board voted to suspend Superintendent Michael Muñoz without pay for five days. 

The board’s decision came in response to the revelation that Muñoz plagiarized a thank-you note to district staff in late November — first reported by Med City Beat. Muñoz admitted to and apologized for the incident on November 30.

In addition to the suspension, Muñoz will be required to work with board members Cathy Nathan and Don Barlow to implement a “public restorative practices plan” in the immediate future.

According to the resolution, the suspension is not effective immediately — Board Chair Deborah Seelinger plans to work with the district’s attorney to decide when the suspension will begin.

“In adopting the motion, the School Board underscored that plagiarism is serious, unacceptable, and cannot happen again,” said district spokesperson Heather Nessler, in a statement released to the media Wednesday. “The School Board recognizes that Superintendent Muñoz’s conduct has had an impact on the community, staff members, and the educational system as a whole. At the same time, the School Board recognizes that even effective leaders make mistakes, and that part of being an effective leader is owning your mistakes. The School Board appreciates that Superintendent Muñoz has acknowledged and owned his mistake.”

Additional details regarding the suspension letter and the restorative practices plan will be made public once completed, the district said.

Muñoz recently received a one-year contract extension to stay on as RPS superintendent through June 2022. The suspension, according to the resolution, will mean Muñoz will either forgo five days of pay, or have his $228,000 annual salary reduced by an equal amount.

Cover photo via Rochester Public Schools