<p>Gentry</p>

Gentry

<p>Leach</p>

Leach

<p>Burnette</p>

Burnette

LUMBERTON — The decision to fire the county school system’s superintendent Tuesday has some school board members concerned.

The decision to remove the school system’s leader during the pandemic “is going to hurt our kids,” Vonta Leach said.

“Right, wrong or indifferent, we are in the middle of a pandemic,” Leach said.

School board member William Gentry agreed with Leach.

“I joined the board in an attempt to help provide some stability for our board and our (school) system, and our situation with our superintendent has been an ongoing point of controversy and it is time for us to stay the course,” Gentry said.

The Public Schools of Robeson County’s Board of Education voted 5-5 Tuesday to fire former Superintendent Shanita Wooten. Board Chairman Craig Lowry then cast the tie-breaking vote. Also voting to remove Wooten were board members Mike Smith, Henry Brewer, Linda Emanuel, Brenda Fairley-Ferebee and Terry Locklear. Board members that voted to keep Wooten as superintendent were William Gentry, Dwayne Smith, Randy Lawson, Vonta Leach and John Simmons.

The board also voted Tuesday to hire Loistine DeFreece as interim superintendent on a month-to-month basis. Tony Parker was hired as a consultant for DeFreece. Parker has experience serving as a school superintendent in Johnston and Berkeley counties. DeFreece resigned from the school board in October 2019, after receiving backlash for continuing to serve on the board while living outside her district.

“I felt that that move should be made for the system at this time,” Lowry said Thursday.

He did not give a reason for his vote, but did say the board “unilaterally” terminated Wooten, which is a right in its contract. Board members did not discuss a reason for her firing during Tuesday’s meeting.

Gentry and Leach said that during their short tenure of about two months on the board, they have seen no reason to dismiss Wooten. Board member Randy Lawson said he felt Wooten did the best she could to navigate uncertainties of the school system’s $2 million shortfall and the arrival of a hurricane and pandemic during her term.

Board members Henry Brewer and Brenda Fairley-Ferebee declined to comment when contacted by The Robesonian. Calls to board members Dwayne Smith and Mike Smith were not returned.

Former school board Chairman Peggy Wilkins-Chavis expressed concern Thursday about the vote.

“All I’m worried about is the children,” she said.

The school board could have waited for Wooten to finish her term, she said. To her, the vote seemed to reflect a political agenda.

“Robeson County, we need to stop and think. We need to hold our board members accountable because all we’re here for is our children,” she said.

Rumors circulated Thursday about DeFreece’s lack of certifications needed for the job. The Robesonian reached out to the State Department of Instruction, but had not received information about her certifications as of press time.

“Ms. Loistine DeFreece meets the required qualifications and has the professional background needed to serve in the role of Superintendent for the Public Schools of Robeson County,” said Gordon Burnette, PSRC’s spokesman.

“All proper procedures and policies set by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction were followed in the hiring of Ms. Loistine DeFreece. We are excited to welcome Ms. Loistine DeFreece as the interim-superintendent of the Public Schools of Robeson County and look forward to the great things that will happen in our district under her leadership,” he added.

The money needed to pay the salaries of DeFreece and consultant Parker will come from state funding made available to help pay superintendents’ salaries or from local funds, Burnette said. The Board of Education will determine their salaries.

Board Attorney Grady Hunt expects the salaries to be brought to a vote during the October board meeting.

Parker met Thursday with several staff members at the Public Schools of Robeson County’s Central Office, Burnette said.

Reach Jessica Horne at 910-416-5165 or via email at [email protected].