Pleasant Valley School District has hired a new assistant special education supervisor.

On a 6-3 vote, the school board on Thursday agreed to hire Doug Palmieri to serve in that capacity at Pleasant Valley Elementary School and Pleasant Valley Intermediate School, effective Aug. 25, at a salary of $83,030.Directors Susan Kresge, Daniel Wunder, Bob Serfass, Len Peeters, Steve Borger and Charles Hoffman were in favor. Directors Linda Micklos, Dominick Sacci and board President Russ Gould were opposed.Palmieri has most recently served as assistant principal at Pleasant Valley Intermediate School.Before its vote, the board heard from Laura Jecker of Chestnuthill Township.Jecker said she is the parent of two children who have Individualized Education Programs.She told the board she was there to educate them on the matter, and asked them to consider how their decision will affect children.Jecker said she was there to ask the board a few questions and discuss some issues she had.She asked how many board members interviewed the applicants for the position.Gould, after asking each board member whether they were involved in the interview process, told Jecker there were four.After Jecker asked which candidate had more years teaching special education, board solicitor Gerard Geiger interjected.Geiger told Jecker it was a time for public comment, rather than a question-and-answer session for the board.Jecker said that because the board was scheduled to vote on the matter, to her it was an urgent issue.She then told the board she wanted them to make an informed decision, and that she was begging them to vote no on the matter.Superintendent Carole Geary told Jecker the directors were given all the information on the candidates."You can't boil somebody down to a piece of paper," Geary said. "We believe we are making the best decision."Geary said, "I really believe we did our due diligence."Both Wunder and Kresge agreed with Geary, and said they believe they were about to choose the best candidate for the position.After the board's vote, Jecker thanked the directors who voted against the hire.Jecker then told the board she believes they did a disservice to the children, and that she was very disappointed with the decision.