Cityscape

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Embattled RPS employee continues fight for her job

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

A 14-year Richmond Public Schools teacher and social worker is battling a second attempt to fire her — this time for failing to show up to work in a position that apparently never was offered to her.

The veteran RPS employee is Robin Spears, whom Superintendent Jason Kamras previously sought to fire for allegedly hitting an out-of-control second-grader in 2021 despite she and other witnesses disputing the claim and the case being dismissed in court.

The latest twist in Ms. Spears’ saga with RPS is raising questions about the Kamras administration’s treatment of employees.

RPS’ policy is not to comment on personnel issues, making it difficult to get the administration’s side. However, the Free Press has obtained documents that raise substantial questions.

The latest issue surfaced Monday in a letter that Timothy Williams, director of employee relations, issued to Ms. Spears.

In it, he notified Ms. Spears she was being suspended from RPS for failing to show up to work for more than five consecutive days without approval. She has been on leave with pay since the 2021 incident involving the child.

Her legal representative, Sa’ad El-Amin, said Ms. Spears is appealing, noting that she “never was offered a new contract, never was told where she was going to work, nor told where she was to report.”

He said Ms. Spears, despite being paid, has not had an RPS assignment since the charge of assault and battery was dismissed in court last year.

According to documents provided to the Free Press, Mr. Williams notified Ms. Spears on Feb. 3 that she was to have a new assignment, but provided no details. The documents indicated that Mr. Williams agreed to wait for her return from a funeral for the uncle who had raised her to speak with her further about the new assignment.

The documents indicate that Ms. Spears returned on Feb. 6, notified Mr. Williams and other school officials, but never received any update on the assignment or a contract agreement listing the salary, the job duties and the reporting location.

In Mr. El-Amin’s view, “This is just another jerk-around,” he said.