MIDDLEBOURNE, W.Va. — There are raw nerves among the residents of Tyler County. The Tyler County Board of Education this week voted against the renewal of a contract for Superintendent Shane Highly. It was the second time the matter had come up for a vote and the second time the board voted 3-2 against retaining Highly in the position.

The vote came after a heated public hearing in which 31 people addressed the board and 30 supported keeping Highly.

“I would like to ask you to reconsider your decision to NOT renew Mr. Highly’s contract, and RENEW it….then resign,” said Tyler County resident Jim Crumrine. “It is clear that our school system is better with him leading it.”

The lone public speaker who opposed Highly’s renewal also stirred emotions within the crowd with his remarks.

“We have something we’re number one in the state of West Virginia in my opinion, that’s the number of attempted suicides and suicides by our students,” said Roger Weese.

“That’s nothing to be proud of. We have bullying going on and students transferring to other schools. The students are being physically and mentally abused daily at this school,” Weese continued to resounding boos and heckling.

After the public remarks and an executive session, the board voted against the renewal of Highly’s contract. Board members Scott Strode and Katrina Byers, who is Board President, voted in favor of renewing Highly’s contract. Members Larry Thomas, Andy Shreves, and Diana Stender cast their votes against the renewal of the contract. None of the board members offered any discussion or explanation publicly for their positions.

Kelly Myers, President of the Tyler County Education Association, was furious.

“Speaking as a union president, an educator, and a person whose children went through this school, this man (Highly) is unbelievable. I don’t think we’re going to get him back and we have lost the greatest Superintendent in West Virginia,” said Myers.

Myers also was angered by the remarks made by Weese over bullying and suicide in the Tyler County school system.

“We have one of the strongest mental health facilities. We have social workers in every school, we have psychologists, and we have a student success center and by the way, my superintendent put all of that in place,” she said.

The board has given no indication of what their next move will be or if there will be upcoming meetings to begin the search for a new Superintendent. Highly’s contract runs out June 30th.

“I don’t think we’re going to get him back and at this point I don’t blame him,” Myers explained. “At this point our goal is to remove them from the Board of Education.”