LUMBERTON — A member of the county Board of Education who voted to oust one superintendent and bring in another is questioning the policy-breaking decision.

“Since the school board attorney, Grady Hunt, did not properly advise us on the policy I believe the school board members should meet with the attorney to discuss the next steps,” Brian Freeman said Friday in an email.

The board voted 6-4 last week to buy out the last 18 months of Superintendent Tommy Lowry’s contract. After the unannounced vote, Thomas Graves, a veteran educator from Virginia, was announced as a candidate and the board voted 6-4 to hire him.

Freeman joined Dwayne Smith, Randy Lawson, Peggy Chavis-Wilkins, Steve Martin and Charles Bullard in both votes, while Chairman Loistine Defreece, Brenda Fairley Ferebee voted against Lowry’s firing and Graves’ hiring. John Campbell missed the meeting.

The four opposed complained that they had not even met Graves, and said the position was not advertised. It’s also unclear how the six members could have built a consensus to hire Graves without violating the state’s open meetings law, which does not allow a quorum of board members to meet without the public being notified.

Freeman said that since Hurricane Matthew washed out the district office buildings the board has been without copies of board policies.

“Two previous requests for hard copies have not been fulfilled for all members,” he said. “We have been relying on the attorney to advise and counsel us on policies and statutes. He is paid to be an expert in this matter.”

The policies are available online at the Public Schools of Robeson County’s website.

Attorney Grady Hunt said he was blindsided by the action and erred.

“I was clueless,” he said. “Looking back on things now, I should have taken a look at that policy.”

The policy states that any position should be advertised locally, in-state and out-of-state for at least 10 business days before any candidate being selected.

“I have no issue with following a policy,” Freeman said. “But at the same time you need to have accurate advisement from your legal counsel and be provided with a written copy so that all 11 school board members are on the same page.”

The board could amend the policy, but doing so requires at least two meetings and more than a simple majority vote, so it’s unlikely the board could must the eight votes needed.

Board policies do not outline any consequences for the violation of its own policies.

Dwayne Smith said Wednesday that policies are routinely broken and even if Tuesday’s decision were revoked and the position was advertised, Graves would still be the board majority’s pick for superintendent.

“They break policies all the time,” Dwayne Smith said. “If they want us to post the position, we will. Then on Feb. 1, we will come back with the same man.”

At least two board members, Defreece and Ferebee, have talked openly about a lawsuit. It’s unclear how much the buyout of Lowry will cost the system, $180,000 for a year, or $270,000 over the course of his contract, which expires June 30, 2018.

The Robesonian was unable to reach anyone with the State Board of Education for a comment.

Graves is being championed by Lumbee educator and author Ben Chavis, who is best known for success and controversy at an American Indian charter school in Oakland, California.

Chavis, who is not employed by Robeson County schools and holds no elected office, gained acclaim and national attention for his work turning around the school in Oakland. However, he was ousted from that position after an audit showed financial irregularities.

No charges were ever brought against Chavis, but allegations included several conflicts of interest involving him and his wife. He also faced criticism for his abrasive attitude and disciplinary policies.

Chavis has long been an advocate for the need to improve Robeson County schools. He contends that Lowry — whom he called a “loser” on Tuesday — should never have been hired as superintendent because he was unqualified.

On Thursday he and Graves attended the St. Pauls Board of Commissioners meeting, during which he insulted American Indians who he said ran the school system by calling them “dumb” and urged town leaders to produce a school board candidate to challenge veteran board member Mike Smith.

“He works for Lumbee Bank and he don’t care about you, white people or black people over here,” Chavis said. “All he cares about is, he votes for the Indians all the time to destroy our schools and our communities. If he’s elected again, I’m going to blame you guys.”

Smith declined to comment on Chavis’ statements, saying only that he would let his record stand for itself. He had served on the board since 1990 and is up for re-election in 2018.

The Robesonian learned from multiply sources that Chavis once tried to get former Superintendent Johnny Hunt to allow him use of Magnolia school during the summer to teach students math, but was denied. He subsequently took out advertisements in The Robesonian criticizing Hunt.

Graves spent time this week visiting schools and talking with staff. He has spoken of the need to cut staff at the central office and add staff at schools, and fashions himself a tough disciplinarian. He also brought up school consolidation with The Robesonian, and mentioned it during the St. Pauls board meeting, saying the county does not need new schools.

Consolidation was a hot topic this summer when a plan was floated to close 30 schools and build 14, but it died when necessary legislation did not get approval of the General Assembly.

https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_Brian-Freeman-1.jpg

Thomas Graves, a veteran educator from Virginia, was named superintendent of Robeson County School after an unannounced vote by the school board there.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_Graves_1.jpgThomas Graves, a veteran educator from Virginia, was named superintendent of Robeson County School after an unannounced vote by the school board there.
Board didn’tfollow itsown policy

By Mike Gellatly

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Reach Mike Gellatly at 910-816-1989 or on Twitter @MikeGellatly.