Board Reverses Course, Follows Mayor's Recommendations

The Columbus School Board surprised many Tuesday night by voting to put off its search for a permanent superintendent. The board had been heavily criticized by Mayor Michael Coleman, who wanted the district to hire a temporary replacement for the retiring Gene Harris and make a final decision after getting input from a new city education commission. "Given the important impact that our schools have on the community – and the impact that the community has on our schools, I don’t believe we can pass up this opportunity to take advantage of the support that has been offered, and to develop even stronger partnerships within the community," said board president Carol Perkins. "I believe that by working together we can accomplish great things for the students of Columbus City Schools.â€? The mayor’s office insists the commission is not a veiled takeover of the district, although it has looked at doing away with the school board. The board has asked mayor Coleman to co-chair a committee to find the next superintendent. The school districts continues to wait for the results of an audit into widespread attendance scrubbing.