The Aspen Parents Action Committee has criticized Aspen School District superintendent John Maloy and Board of Education president Sheila Wills for standing by HR director Elizabeth Hodges. The parents group also had signed a petition to get rid of Maloy.
Hodges was criminally convicted and disbarred from Missouri due to alleged unethical behavior when she practiced as an estate-planning lawyer. "For me, the tipping point was when John Maloy and Sheila Wills gave their full-throated support of Elizabeth Hodges, despite her conviction, disbarment and ongoing probation," Bettina Slusar said, speaking at the group's first public meeting in September.
Hodges said the criminal conviction and disbarment in Missouri was part of a campaign to taint her reputation from heirs of a deceased couple she had represented. She declined to fight the disbarment because she lacked the time and money, and instead made a career switch to HR. She also said she is taking steps to get her law license reinstated.
Late last month, the Board of Education said it would not give Maloy a contract extension, but also noted that "the board has the ability to reconsider almost any of its actions at any time," Wills said.
Prior to the complaints over Maloy's support of Hodges, some school staff had grumbled about his leadership.