The man who helped Clarksdale Municipal School District improve its test scores met with the three-member CMSD School Board last week seeking the fullfilment of his contract.
Former CMSD Superintendent Joe Nelson and his attorney Julian Miller met with the board in executive session for more than 90-minutes Thursday.
Nelson was terminated in May after the theee-member board met and voted in an allegedly illegal executive session.
Nelson still has three years on his contract with the district. He was paid $139,000 annually and is seeking the remaining $217,000.
Thursday’s meeting was styled as an administrative hearing where Nelson was told the specific facts for his termination.
“We disagree on the reasons the district articulated,” said Miller. “The reasons given were not indicative of the superintendent’s performance.”
Nelson was escorted from school grounds May 9 following a special called meeting only attended by three school board trustees on Thursday the previous week.
Thursday’s meeting saw trustee Sandy Stillions say the meeting was illegal and leave the board room before the meeting started. Stillion later resigned his post as CMSD Trustee.
Trustee Joan Morris was not at Thursday’s meeting and it was made public at Monday’s Clarksdale’s Board of Mayor and Commissioners meeting at City Hall that she had resigned.
A motion to replace Morris with former trustee Delores Harris by Ward 2 Commissioner Ken Murphy and seconded by Ward 1 Commissioner Bo Plunk failed on an unprecedented 3-2 vote when the Ward 3 Commissioner Willie Turner, Ward 4 Commissioner Ed Seals and Mayor Chuck Espy nixed Harris’ appointment.
Thursday’s special called meeting of the school board started with a review of proposed class and school changes that had been proposed in February. Those changes, which were based on district building repair needs and declining student population numbers, were once again voted down by trustees Zedrick Clayton, LaFiesta Roland and Manika Kemp.
The board also had district financial statements explained to them again by central office staff.
On a motion by Kemp, a second by Roland and supported by Clayton the board entered executive session for about 20 minutes to review the superintendent’s contract.
School board attorney Carlos Palmer was also not at Thursday’s meeting.
Trustees re-opened the doors to the public at 6:46 p.m. and said they had taken a vote but did not indicate what the action was about or how trustees voted.
“It was a contractual matter that cannot be discussed,” said Clayton.
Clayton was repeatedly asked by the Clarksdale Press Register if a vote was taken by the board.
Clayton said action was taken and the “decision will be made public, but not at this time.”
Nelson was removed from office by school security officers sometime before 2 p.m. Monday.
