Boards of trustees of both Tallahatchie County public school districts took action on Friday that seemingly will sever ties with their current superintendents.
During a 4:30 Friday afternoon special called board meeting at the district’s central office complex in Sumner, West Tallahatchie School District Superintendent Christopher Furdge, 49, was ordered placed on paid administrative leave for the remaining five months of his $85,000-per-year contract, which expires on June 30.
While board attorney Renetha Frieson confirmed that action, which she said was taken in executive session, she declined to disclose any particulars about the vote or Furdge’s contract.
Frieson also acknowledged a report that during the same Friday meeting, the WTSD board named an interim superintendent. However, she would not identify Dr. Sherry Ellington, 61, longtime principal of the district’s North Delta Alternative School in Sumner, as the person selected to fill that role.
Ellington herself confirmed the appointment when she used the new title beneath her signature on a school-related Facebook post on Sunday.
Neither Furdge nor Ellington could be reached for comment, and WTSD School Board President Marvin George on Monday referred all questions to Frieson, who ex-plained there was not much that she could say.
“This is definitely an employment matter that involves an individual, and I don’t want to get into divulging any information that may not be appropriate under law,” said Frieson.
Official minutes of the Jan. 24 special meeting will not be available for public inspection for weeks, and because this is a personnel matter, they are likely to reveal no more than how board members voted on Furdge and Ellington.
Furdge was appointed WTSD interim superintendent in 2016. He was named full superintendent in 2017.
Prior to that, he worked locally for one year as assistant principal of R.H. Bearden Elementary School and three years as principal of West Tallahatchie High School.
MEANWHILE, in the East Tallahatchie School District, a majority of school board members on Friday voted against renewing Dr. Darron Edwards’ contract as superintendent of Charleston-area schools.
Edwards, 51, has held the district’s top administrative post since July 1, 2018. He became the first African American to be selected as ETSD superintendent.
His two-year deal, which has paid an annual base salary of $121,000, expires June 30.
Three of the district’s five school board members and a handful of spectators were on hand for Friday’s 6:30 p.m. special called meeting in the central office boardroom.
Two major items were on the agenda: the appointment of board officers for the new year and Edwards’ contract.
There was brief discussion about entering executive session to discuss the contract, but the trio ultimately decided no discussion was needed.
After Education District 6 trustee and board vice president Lincoln Smith called up the question, Education District 8 trustee Raymond Radcliff said, “I make the motion that we don’t extend the superintendent’s contract.”
Education District 10 trustee Donna Jo Taylor seconded that motion, and Smith concurred for the unanimous decision among board members present.
It was noted that Edwards would be sent a letter by certified mail informing him, “A majority of the board voted not to extend your contract.”
In the other significant matter of business, board members wrote on slips of paper their choices for three board leadership positions.
Smith then announced, “The president is going to be Mr. [Raymond] Radcliff, the vice president is going to be me and the secretary is going to be Ms. Donna [Taylor].”
Previously, Education District 9 trustee Darrell Neal served as president, Smith as vice president and Education District 7 trustee Tameka McIntyre as secretary.
However, Radcliff said there had been no formal vote taken for officers for 2020 and the matter had not been placed on the agenda for the regular monthly board meeting on Jan. 9.
One of the spectators, Gyrone Kenniel of Charleston, questioned board members about the absence of their counterparts.
“Where are the other board members? Were they notified to be here?” Kenniel said.
“They were notified,” said Smith. “I sent them a text.”
A public notice of the special called meeting also was posted on the front door of the school district central office near the board meeting room after the meeting was reportedly called earlier in the day.
However, Kenniel still questioned the gathering.
“I don’t see [the superintendent] here, I don’t see the board attorney here, I don’t see two board members,” Kenniel said. “I don’t think that’s according to the laws of the state of Mississippi.”
IN THE PHOTO: During a special called meeting Friday night, East Tallahatchie school board members (seated at table, from left) Lincoln Smith, Raymond Radcliff and Donna Jo Taylor act on an agenda item. (Photo by Clay McFerrin)
