Chicopee Schools Superintendent Lynn Clark appeared in federal court in Springfield on Wednesday.
Clark did not enter a plea to a charge of making false statements because she has not been indicted by a grand jury.
Clark is accused of lying to the FBI about sending threatening, anonymous text messages to a candidate for Chicopee police chief.
A criminal complaint against Clark indicates an investigation was launched after the city had to delay its search for a new chief earlier this year. Two candidates reportedly dropped out.
Meantime, the school committee had its regularly scheduled meeting last night and talk of the arrest of the superintendent dominated discussion.
Some committee members want the school boss to resign while others called for her to be fired.
In the end, committee members opted to put her on administrative leave pending the outcome of the federal charges.
A deputy superintendent is now in charge of the day to day operation of the department.
(Chicopee School Department photo)