No details on suspension released

LAUDERDALE COUNTY - Lauderdale County Board of Education members were mum Thursday on details as to why Anderson Junior High School Principal David Peoples has been suspended with pay.

The board went into executive session at its meeting Thursday to discuss the matter. No vote or discussion about the matter took place after board members reconvened.

Sources told the TimesDaily that school system officials were notified Tuesday about money that was reported missing from the school and that Peoples had been

suspended.

Superintendent Bill Valentine, who spent part the day at the school, has declined to give details about the suspension, saying he is forbidden from discussing personnel issues.

Valentine said Peoples' paid suspension will continue throughout the investigation period and is a requirement that the board must meet under the Alabama Tenure Law to assure the employee's rights are not violated.

The law calls for the suspension to be in a "reasonable" amount of time.

Before the executive session, Emmitt Jimmar, the Alabama Education Association representative for Lauderdale district's employees, asked board Chairman Joe Frank Fowler how long he considered to be a reasonable suspension period.

Fowler said there was no set time limit.

Earlier Thursday, Valentine said the suspension only involves Peoples.

"We don't anticipate anyone else's involvement in the matter," he said.

Peoples has been employed in the Lauderdale County school district for nearly 30 years, the last 15 of which he has been principal at Anderson.

Peoples could not be reached for comment Thursday.

While Peoples is suspended, the school's guidance counselor, Karen Cantrell, will be in charge, Valentine said.

"We have a suitable situation at the school while all this is being sorted out," he said.

"Ms. Cantrell is willing to take on the additional responsibilities and certainly our (central office) administration is going to provide the support the school needs during this investigation period. As for how long it will take, there's no way to know that."

Lisa Singleton-Rickman can be reached at 740-5735 or lisa.singleton-rickman@TimesDaily.com.