Crown Point Community School Board President David Warne said the search to replace longtime Superintendent Teresa A. Eineman will begin as soon as possible.

At a meeting Monday, the board voted unanimously to place Eineman, who has been superintendent of the city’s public schools for 15 years, on paid administrative leave. No reason was given for removing Eineman.

Eineman’s attorney, Joseph Curosh Jr., said Eineman received a letter via email Feb. 20 and is being forced from her position without cause.

“There is no reason why they’re letting her go,” Curosh said. “They’re trying to say they have the right to terminate her without cause, which isn’t true.”

The letter, written by attorney William S. Kaminski, told Eineman the school board was exercising its right to cancel the superintendent’s contract, Curosh said.

Curosh said the letter also told Eineman she had to leave school property and was unable to communicate with school employees, effective immediately.

More than 50 people gathered at the meeting Monday, filling all the chairs and lining the walls as Warne read from a prepared statement. He said he and board vice president Scott Angel had a meeting with Eineman to discuss the school board’s intent.

“The school board took these steps as a professional courtesy to Dr. Eineman, anticipated further transitional discussion and hoped to minimize disruption to Crown Point Community School Corporation’s employees, students and operations,” Warne said.

Warne noted that the first response the board received from Eineman was the possible threat of legal action in a local publication.

“For legal reasons, specific details or facts giving rise to the board’s consideration of termination of the superintendent’s contract will not be discussed here tonight,” Warne said Monday.

Crown Point school’s leadership team received a statement on Eineman’s termination Sunday night, while the rest of the staff in the school corporation were given the same statement 9:30 a.m. Monday, Warne said.

Angel said students and families should not be affected by the decision.

“Nothing will be changed in our typical school process,” Angel said.

While Warne said he and Angel had a meeting with Eineman, her attorney said she never had a meeting with the school board as a whole detailing the termination.

Curosh also said there could be legal issues will the school district’s termination of Eineman’s employment.

A superintendent’s contract can only be terminated under specific conditions, none of which, Curosh said, apply to Eineman.

“If you look at the state statute, it clearly says a superintendent’s contract terminates on the following dates and under the following conditions only — there’s no wiggle room for them to have that,” Curosh said.

Warne said until the school names an interim superintendent, James Hardman, director of curriculum and instruction, will oversee superintendent roles and responsibilities.

Hannah Reed is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.