The Clarksdale Municipal School District unanimously overturned superintendent Dr. Earl Joe Nelson’s decision to suspend business manager Kamilah Woods-Parris for three days without pay in January.
Nelson suspended Woods-Parris for insubordination and not fulfilling her duties in a timely manner. Nelson claimed Woods-Parris did not get the Mississippi Department of Education needed information to provide the district Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to address the impact of COVID.
Woods-Parris, who has held her position since 2010 and been with the district since 2009, took the position she notified of what she needed to do at the last minute on the day of the deadline Jan. 25.
She said that came when she had to get payroll completed for the CMSD employees. She provided the MDE the information after the close of business Jan. 26.
Woods-Parris filed a grievance hearing that was held Monday, April 26 and lasted four hours. The board recessed from the hearing and continued the meeting Tuesday, May 4.
CMSD board attorney Carlos Palmer represented Nelson and attorney Willie Griffin represented Woods-Parris.
The board went into executive session for a little more than one hour Tuesday and came back with the decision to overturn Nelson’s recommendation.
“Our decision is that we will overturn the superintendent’s recommendation,” said board president Delores Harris following executive session. “Attorney Palmer will draft a letter reflecting the board’s decision to attorney Griffin, to the complainant and Dr. Nelson.”
The other four board members are vice president Joan Morris, secretary Dr. Bishop Zedric Clayton, H. Clay Sandy Stillions and La Fiesta Roland.
Harris and Nelson both declined to comment following the meeting.
Woods-Paris holds degrees business administration and accountancy. She makes $93,000 a year, was the CMSD assistant business manager from 2009 to 2010, and has been the business manager since 2010.
Former superintendent Dennis Dupree hired Woods-Parris. Nelson took over the position in July 2019. Woods-Parris said she was never reprimanded or disciplined under either superintendent until Nelson suspended her.
Nelson testified the Mississippi Department of Education needed information from each district in the state to provide Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to address the impact of COVID.
According to the State Audit Department, CMSD was allocated $2,829,287 in ESSER funds and the money, and how it is being spent, has been aggressively scrutinized by the state.
The MDE needed the information by the close of business Jan. 25, but Nelson said CMSD did not meet the deadline because Woods-Parris did not provide the information in a timely manner.
