York School Superintendent Says Board Member's Actions Violate His Contract

Fairman stripped of committee assignments

Feb 11, 2025

York County’s school board parceled out committee assignments taken from deposed Chair Lynda J. Fairman Monday night, amidst warnings her past behavior could subject the entire board to legal jeopardy for violating the school superintendent’s contract.

The board held a special meeting after their normal work session so Superintendent Victor D. Shandor could share a 20-page document outlining statements by Fairman he said were not accurate, violated his employment contract and “could negatively impact staffing and enrollment in the schools.”

Fairman, representing the 5^th district, was removed as chair of the school board and replaced by District 3 board member Kimberly S. Goodwin at a special board session last year. Goodwin’s position as vice chair was taken by James E. Richardson of District 4.

Shandor pointed to comments from Fairman at the Jan. 27 school board meeting, when she said parents and teachers complained to her about other teachers’ critique of Donald Trump’s victory the day after the election. He said Fairman never passed the comments on to him, violating Section II (e ) of his contract, which requires board members to notify the superintendent of any criticism so he can investigate.

He warned such behavior could expose the entire board to legal action for breach of contract.

Shandor’s document included an appendix with various statements from Fairman that he said were incorrect, as well as social media interactions with parents that he said were not shared with him.

Board Chair Goodwin said she and some other board members had asked Shandor to prepare the report.

“I felt that there were a lot of inaccuracies…that need to be brought out to the light,” in Fairman’s comments, Goodwin said.

Richardson asked school counsel Melanie Berry if the entire board could be sued for violating the superintendent’s contract and she said that was correct, because the contract is with the board as employer.

Board members had already conducted a closed-door session Friday to strip Fairman of her committee assignments, disable her school badge and require training on the Freedom of Information Act.

Fairman has warned she was discussing the matter with a lawyer and was researching her options to fight what she said were illegal actions against her.

At Friday’s meeting, Goodwin said the sanctions will be re-evaluated in June.

It has been a dramatic turn of events for the two women, who were elected with Republican party support promising to hold schools more accountable to parents.

Goodwin, Fairman and Zoran Pajevic were endorsed by the Republican party. During an interview on a local podcast in 2023, they each said they would vote to fire Shandor, but they took no action after being elected.

The Board met behind closed doors last May 28 to discuss potential litigation relating to the superintendent’s contract. At the end of that meeting, Fairman was voted out as chair, by a vote of 3-2. Goodwin joined Richardson and Mark J. Shafer in voting for her demotion, with Fairman and Pajevic voting against.

One board member, who spoke on condition of anonymity Monday, said board meetings had become more productive since Fairman’s demotion from the chair position.

An organization calling itself #SaveYCSD is petitioning for Fairman’s removal from her elected post.

Winter Weather Advisory: Williamsburg-JCC and York County Schools Closed Today

Concierge and Urgent Care Become Alternatives for Primary Care

— Part 2 of 2 —

Drs. Jake & Christina Mutch, (Gari-Ann Kia).

As it becomes harder for Williamsburg residents to get access to a primary care doctor, they are turning to two alternatives: direct care providers and urgent care clinics.

Urgent care clinics – once disparagingly called “docs in a box” – have become the medical provider of choice for nearly half of young adults 18-29, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Though they understand the benefit of having a relationship with a doctor who becomes familiar with their personal health situation, younger adults find urgent care more convenient and sometimes more affordable, according to a survey conducted by the Journal Of Adolescent Health.

Direct care providers, also known as concierge care, offer patients who have the financial means direct access to their doctor in exchange for paying a subscription fee.

Husband and wife team Jake and Christina Mutch founded Defiant Direct Primary Care in Williamsburg in 2020, and the practice has doubled to four physicians.

If you call the clinic you usually get a recording. But that’s because patients have their physician’s personal cellphone so they can call him or her directly. Jake Mutch said doctors take as long as needed with in-person visits and coordinate care with specialists as required.

Unlike existing group practices, where each physician may be responsible for up to 3,000 patients managed with a team, Mutch said each of Defiant’s practitioners is capped at several hundred patients so they don’t feel “like they are on a conveyor belt.”

Mutch also believes it makes it easier to recruit and retain doctors, since they have a more rewarding and less pressured career.

Most concierge services don’t accept insurance, charging their customers a subscription fee for visits and annual physicals. Most have discount arrangements for lab and other work.

Besides Defiant, there are concierge practices in Richmond, as well as one in Newport News – Lighthouse Direct Primary Care -- and Mango Medical DPC in Hampton.

There are also practices in the Richmond area and in Virginia Beach.

Mutch said because his practice does not bill insurance, it requires less complex record keeping systems and the doctors can treat patients without worrying about what an insurance company would reimburse.

They can also refer patients to the specialist they believe can best serve them, without pressure to keep them within a specific medical system, Mutch said.

Defiant charges its patients a $350 enrollment fee, and $250 a month for patients aged 22-64. Senior citizens have more frequent and complex medical needs, he said, and are charged $325 monthly. Patients younger than 22 pay $175 a month.

Mutch said he recommends his patients also carry health insurance, even if it is a high deductible plan, for complex or catastrophic health care or hospitalization.

City of Williamsburg

Tuesday Feb. 11: 6:30 p.m. Williamsburg Architectural Review Board. Stryker Center, 412 N. Boundary St.

Wednesday Feb. 12: 3 p.m. Williamsburg Economic Development Authority. Room 127 Stryker Center, 412 N. Boundary St.

Thursday Feb. 13: 2 p.m. Williamsburg City Council. Stryker Cener, 412 N. Boundary Street.

Friday Feb. 14: 8 a.m. City Council Budget Retreat Emergency Operations Center, Williamsburg Fire Department, 440 N. Boundary Street.

James City County

Tuesday Feb. 11: 5 p.m. James City County Board of Supervisors. 101 Mounts Bay Road, Building F.

York County

Wednesday Feb. 12: 7 p.m. Planning Commission reviews staff recommendation to add ducks to list of fowl permitted in home backyards. York Hall, 301 Main St.