Union County officials have been tight lipped on about why Union County School Superintendent Wayne Goforth was suspended this week without pay for 15 days, reports the News Sentinel.
Further, Goforth’s attorney has filed a lawsuit against the school board. Goforth is asking the court to void the suspension, remove the four board members from office and require the defendants personally pay his salary during the suspension.
(Note: As far as statewide news goes, the most prominent thing about Goforth has been his involvement in securing a contract for Union County serving as the center for operation of a virtual schools program, as authorized by legislation approved earlier this year. K-12 Inc. gets about $5,300 per student enrolled; Union County gets 4 percent of that. Previous posts HERE and HERE, for example.)
From the KNS report:
Brian Oaks, the school board’s chairman, said Thursday the board’s attorney is looking at a couple issues, but wouldn’t elaborate on what they were. But, he said, the suspension is not a result of the district’s budget woes.
For months, the board has been trying to balance its budget for next school year, only approving one Wednesday night — during the same meeting it suspended Goforth — that would keep schools open.
“We’re out of money. We’re depending on state and federal moneys,” Oaks said. “To suspend Mr. Goforth had nothing to do with the budget. It’s just an investigation being done by our attorney.”
Goforth became director of the Union County Schools in 2008, when he signed a four-year contract.
He has been advised by his attorney, Herbert S. Moncier, not to discuss the suspension.
Moncier said Thursday he still hadn’t received any information on the pending charges.
“There is no provision of the law for them to do what they did (Wednesday) night,” he said. “We knew in September they were putting on the docket to terminate him. We didn’t know, and still don’t know, any of the grounds.”
… (Board Chairman Mark) DeVault didn’t comment specifically on the what the charges are against Goforth, but said there could be a combination of things that led up to the suspension.
“But more speculation leads to more speculation and more problems,” he said. “I pray and hope we can work this out but it could get worse before it gets better.”
DeVault didn’t comment specifically on the what the charges are against Goforth, but said there could be a combination of things that led up to the suspension.
“But more speculation leads to more speculation and more problems,” he said. “I pray and hope we can work this out but it could get worse before it gets better.”