Monroe Superintendent Removal Hearing Postponed
By: Janice Park
Updated: August 12, 2009
It's two days to the start of school in Monroe -- and children in Monroe city still have no leader.
Today was supposed to be the removal hearing for suspended superintendent Dr. James Dupree.
But instead, it was canceled as school board members fight a messy legal battle with the suspended superintendent.
It was supposed to be a clear cut vote tonight -- to either fire Superintendent Dupree or keep him on board. but instead -- Monroe City school board members are Finding themselves in the middle of a very messy court battle: "Right now we've been advised to have no comment pending litigation," said school board member Stephanie Smith. That was the answer of every school board member tonight.
A federal judge filed a restraining order today in favor of Superintendent Dupree. It says his removal hearing should be postponed because his case may contain "bias and irreparable harm".
School board members have been trying to remove Dupree for months, based on 14 charges. They include anything from secretive contracts to a failure to help the school system overall. But as school sets to start in two days -- thousands of students in Monroe's public schools still have no definitive leader.
Schools board members say at this point they can only hope for the best, amid an uncertain school year: "I think the children will be fine we have great staff so they'll be fine," said Smith.
It was supposed to be a clear cut vote tonight -- to either fire Superintendent Dupree or keep him on board. but instead -- Monroe City school board members are Finding themselves in the middle of a very messy court battle: "Right now we've been advised to have no comment pending litigation," said school board member Stephanie Smith. That was the answer of every school board member tonight.
A federal judge filed a restraining order today in favor of Superintendent Dupree. It says his removal hearing should be postponed because his case may contain "bias and irreparable harm".
School board members have been trying to remove Dupree for months, based on 14 charges. They include anything from secretive contracts to a failure to help the school system overall. But as school sets to start in two days -- thousands of students in Monroe's public schools still have no definitive leader.
Schools board members say at this point they can only hope for the best, amid an uncertain school year: "I think the children will be fine we have great staff so they'll be fine," said Smith.
