PLAIN TWP.: The Plain Local Board of Education dismissed board member Chris Cugini by a vote of 4-1 at a special meeting Monday night.Cugini cast the lone vote in his favor.He was elected to the board in November 2009 after serving as student representative to the board during his senior year at GlenOak High School. Now a junior at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Cugini recently served an internship in Washington, D.C., working in the office of U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.He missed board meetings from September 2011 through December, causing the board to declare a vacancy by virtue of an absence from meetings for 90 days.Members of Cugini’s family attended Monday’s meeting to support him.“I hope nobody treats your children the way you have treated my child. Shame on you,” his mother, Tina Cugini, told the board.Other speakers supported Cugini, including two GlenOak students who said, “Chris is an inspiration to all of us.”Cugini outlined his past work in the district, including working in support of the school levy and purchasing supplies for children.“I love this district to death,” he said in a prepared statement. “I am not here to beg for my position, but I feel that the decision has already been made back in August,” when he attended his last board meeting.Cugini said board members have never accepted him because of his youth and because he asks questions about board actions.Board President Nick Campanelli read a prepared statement outlining the board’s decision and said Cugini’s absence was in violation of state law. He said Cugini chose to be absent a total of 128 days, including missing a work session Jan. 7 because he was working at his part-time job.“We all encouraged him to attend at least one meeting during his internship so he would not put the board in this situation,” Campanelli said.The board will have 30 days to decide on a replacement or the position will be filled by the Stark County probate judge.