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Dearborn principal alleges procedural flaws as board weighs contract nonrenewal
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Summary
McDonald Elementary principal Dr. Adnan Mohni told the board his recommended contract nonrenewal was procedurally flawed, citing a midyear change to an earlier "effective" evaluation, canceled review meetings, and that he provided extensive artifacts; he asked trustees to reject the nonrenewal recommendation and said 1,160 petition signatures back him.
Dr. Adnan Mohni, principal of McDonald Elementary School, asked the Dearborn Board of Education on April 13 to reject a recommendation to not renew his contract, saying the administrative process leading to that recommendation was "procedurally flawed" and inconsistent with Michigan law.
Mohni provided a detailed chronology: he said his 2024–25 year-end evaluation was finalized as "effective" on June 16, 2025, but that the rating was changed more than three months later to "developing" and then "progressing," which he described as a late alteration. He said two scheduled review meetings tied to an assigned performance plan were canceled and never rescheduled; as a result, he said materials and artifacts he submitted were not formally reviewed.
"I respectfully submit this unified statement in response to the recommendation of contract nonrenewal of my employment as principal," Mohni told trustees, saying he had 13 years as a principal with multiple "highly effective" and "effective" ratings and that his school had shown measurable student growth. He said a consultant had reported midyear that McDonald outperformed the district in math and reading and that McDonald had previously been recognized as a Michigan Department of Education reward school.
Mohni also recounted meetings with human-resources officials and supervisors in which he said he was told he had "three options: resign, get fired, or get demoted," and he said he had been advised by his union to consider an EEOC complaint. He said a community petition supporting him had collected about 1,160 signatures.
What the board did: The public comment period was lengthy; the board scheduled a brief recess and did not take an immediate vote on Mohni's employment recommendation that evening. No final action on the contract was recorded at the meeting.
Documentation: Mohni referenced emails and packet documents and asked trustees to review those materials before acting. The board did not provide a timeline for a decision during the meeting.
