GREENE – Frustrated parent Theresa Godfrey wishes retiring Superintendent Thomas Hanson the best while vowing to press on in her effort to improve student behavior.

“If he is in a place in his life right now where he needs change, then I wish him well,” she said. “But if this is an attempt to make us go away, it won’t work.”

Godfrey has been an active participant in the fight for improved student behavior in the classroom. She, along with other parents, have cited occurrences of violence and disrespect that jeopardize the education and safety of other students. Rowdy behavior in Greene Central School’s first-grade classrooms included spitting, swearing and hitting, according to parents.

According to Godfrey, parents’ concerns have been brought to the attention of Hanson, the school board and Principal Thomas Martellone to no avail.

“I have been working the proper channels for two years now, but it might as well be a spit in the wind for as far as it has gotten me,” Godfrey said.

“I feel as though they’re shuffling the problems around, rather than fixing them.”

This year she has decided to deal directly with her son’s teacher.

“She is amazing, and when she can’t resolve the issues that arise in her classroom, they need to be dealt with in another manner,” Godfrey said.

She asserted that an effective plan to deal with the problems has not been implemented. Just last week, she said, one of her son’s classmates pulled down his pants in the classroom.

“Granted, the teacher handled the issue quickly and not all the students witnessed the display, but it was disruptive enough so that my son came home upset about it,” she said.

Her son’s class has jumped from 18 students last year to 21 this year. It may seem like a small increase, but Godfrey is worried that a bigger classroom could be a breeding ground for more serious offenses.

“We are seeing the same problems as last year, if not worse,” she said.

Godfrey went on to say that it would be ideal to see the behavior problems resolved before a new superintendent takes office.

Despite the challenges that she and Hanson have gone head to head on, Godfrey wishes him only the best.

“I hope that his retirement is not a result of these issues,” Godfrey said. “I am not opposed to working with him and the board, but I do want to be heard.”