Three School Board Members–“Not so Fast!”

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF-TV) – For the third time in 10 years the Hamilton county school board is faced with buying-out a superintendent’s contract.
Rick Smith, who has held that job for almost 5 years, Thursday night told the board that he would be willing to leave in the wake of the Ooltewah High school sports scandal.
The vote was 6 to 3 in favor, but why did those three strongly oppose the idea?

SUPT. RICK SMITH, HCDE "Mr. chairman I’m asking the Hamilton ciounty board of education o approve a process whereby a separation agreement can be reached between this board of education ..and the superintendent."

After a month of heated controversy, finger-pointing and formal charges against the assistant principal, basketball coach and assistant coach at Ooltewah High school…the superintendent proposed bringing his part in the saga to a close.
Some members were told in advance…others were not.
Here’s what happened next.

DAVID TESTERMAN, BOARD MEMBER "What is wrong with you..you’re doing something to a man that’s leading our school system..why can’t you get behind him."

RHONDA THURMAN, BOARD MEMBER "David’s reason was absolutely opposite from mine. He just didn’t want to excuse the superintendent for any reason."

Testerman, Thurman and Dr. Greg Martin were the three dissenting votes.
Testerman was in Atlanta all day Friday, but told us by phone he is still angry about the way it went down.

Dr. Greg Martin told us by phone that he lost confidence in the superintendent long before the current issue, and in fact, voted against Smith’s contract extension that was approved last summer. Martin wants to see how the continuing investigation is resolved. He and Thurman want to know if there is cause for termination of the school leader.

RHONDA THURMAN "We still don’t have all the facts. I don’t know what I don’t know…I don’t know who knew what and when they knew it, I just don’t understand why we’re in such a big rush."

Other board members, with some reservations, were ready to move along.

GEORGE RICKS, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER " I will support your decision, superintendent, I thinks its an honorable decision..I think it’s the right thing to do."

A final decision may be a few weeks away.

Any buy-out of Smith’s contract would be negotiated by Scott Bennett, the board’s attorney.
The public would then have 10 days to comment before a final vote is taken.