WYANDOTTE, Mich. (WXYZ) — The superintendent of Wyandotte Public Schools is abandoning her post, according to school board members.
They voted to accept her resignation during a special meeting Wednesday night.
Parents felt she failed students and staff by allowing a cellphone tower to be built on Washington Elementary School.
There was no vote on the future of the cell tower Wednesday. There instead was a big shake-up in leadership.
After a series of heated meetings, parents finally feel heard.
Catherine Cost is now the former superintendent of the Wyandotte school district. It's fair to say many were rejoicing.
"I think she has been a huge barrier to us getting something accomplished here with the cell tower and I am hopeful we can move in the right direction now," Josh Castmore, a parent, said.
Some expected this to happen but others not so much.
"I am actually surprised," Beth Lekity said. "Only because there was arrogance or maybe stubbornness."
Cost was on the board when they approved the building of cell tower in 2018. The district entered into a contract with T-Mobile and chose Washington Elementary as the tower's location.
Cost abruptly ended a meeting on March 2 when parents lashed out due to safety concerns and the possible health risks the towers poses to staff and students.
"A lot of times when parents are upset and scared, you are going to see what we did and we kind of felt like we got brushed off a little bit and we just wanted our voices heard," Michelle Hodgkinson, a parent, said.
Board members had two closed sessions and then came back to say there wouldn't be a vote just yet. They are working with attorneys to dissect what they call a "big contract" with T-Mobile.
"It is their job to stand up for us, but time will tell," Castmore said.
The school board says they will have another meeting next Tuesday at city hall.
