DERRY SCHOOL BOARD COMMENTS: Derry school board votes to ask member to resign after parents raise concerns

DERRY — The Derry Area School Board voted to ask board member Sean Kemmerer to resign, but one thing missing from the meeting: Sean Kemmerer.

Parents in the district first sounded the alarm after uncovering derogatory comments Kemmerer reportedly made online nearly a decade ago about special needs students, women and religion.

“The Board of School Directors hereby declares the statements made by Mr. Kemmerer to be the antithesis of everything that Board members, both individually and collectively, stand for,” the board read during the meeting.

Kemmerer sent Channel 11 a statement saying in part:

I did just have two wisdom teeth removed (which is why I was absent) but I feel that there have been some gross mischaracterizations (for example, they read a column about “rape babies” that I in no way wrote.)

I regret that this takes away from what an amazing place Derry is, but someone has to stand up to this type of bullying and harassment, or we will never get people to volunteer to serve in their communities. Different personalities are not impeachable offenses!