Plainfield BOE Stays Mum as Superintendent Remains on Paid Leave

Rashon Hasan has been on paid leave for 9 weeks as the board faces calls to reinstate him

Mar. 18, 2026 at 4:49am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

At a special Plainfield Board of Education meeting, the board took no action regarding the continued paid leave of Superintendent Rashon Hasan, who has been out for 9 weeks. The meeting was marked by a nearly 2-hour delay and a blank agenda, with the board citing legal restrictions on discussing personnel matters publicly. Over a dozen former BOE members spoke in support of Hasan, calling for his reinstatement and criticizing the board's lack of transparency.

Why it matters

The prolonged absence of the Plainfield superintendent has raised concerns in the community about leadership stability and transparency in the school district. With the district facing budget season, there are worries about the cost of the superintendent's paid leave and potential legal issues if he is terminated without justification.

The details

Superintendent Rashon Hasan was placed on paid administrative leave in January, just hours after a report that he had been charged with leaving the scene of an accident and failure to report an accident involving a district vehicle. Hasan later announced the charges had been dropped. At the special BOE meeting, the board did not provide any updates on Hasan's status, citing legal restrictions. Over a dozen former BOE members spoke in support of Hasan, praising his leadership and calling for his reinstatement.

  • Hasan was placed on paid leave on January 20, 2026.
  • The special BOE meeting was held on March 17, 2026.

The players

Rashon Hasan

The Plainfield Public Schools superintendent who has been on paid leave for 9 weeks.

Hanae Wyatt

The Plainfield Board of Education President, who explained the board is legally restricted from discussing personnel matters publicly.

Debbi Myers

A former Plainfield BOE member in the 1990s who criticized the board for making the public wait nearly 2 hours to speak.

Carmencita Pile

A former Plainfield BOE member who praised Hasan's leadership and called for the district to be led "competently, responsibly, and with the best interests of students at the center."

Azim Gray

A former Plainfield BOE commissioner who said the board had previously given Hasan a positive evaluation.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“To have the community sit out here like this—it's disrespectful to have your staff who've been here since 8:00 this morning to stand like this.”

— Debbi Myers, Former Plainfield BOE member

“That level of instability is not normal. Every time leadership changes, students, staff, and families are the ones who absorb the disruption.”

— Carmencita Pile, Former Plainfield BOE member

“As recently as July 2025, you rendered an evaluation of the superintendent which was proficient. It said all goals that he presented were achieved. I'm not understanding what happened. What happened? The individual was moving our public school district forward. What happened?”

— Azim Gray, Former Plainfield BOE commissioner

What’s next

The Plainfield BOE has scheduled a town hall meeting for March 18, 2026 to further discuss the superintendent's status.

The takeaway

The Plainfield community is deeply divided over the superintendent's paid leave, with many former BOE members calling for his reinstatement and criticizing the board's lack of transparency. The prolonged absence is raising concerns about leadership stability and the potential financial and legal implications for the district.