Board of Education Accepts McCormick's Resignation

UPDATE: No Discussion of Immoral Conduct At Meeting

In a statement released by the Board of Education:

The Lee County School Board today released as statement that said, "This afternoon the Lee County Board of Education accepted the resignation of Dr. Jim McCormick as Superintendent of Lee County Schools effective today, June 30, 2008. The Board of Education is aware of the impact affecting the district by his sudden resignation. To that end, in consultation with the Board Attorney regarding the legal options in filling this critical vacancy, we'll meet at 5:00PM Wednesday, July 2, 2008."

It is expected that the Board will at that meeting consider its options and discuss whether to name an interim or acting superintendent and the process for making a permanent selection of a superintendent.

The Board apparently waived a 90 notice required by the employment contract.

Dr. McCormick's letter was addressed to Bill Tatum, but was delivered to the Board Attorney on 6/25/08. He asked the Board to compensate him for those benefits which he had accrued while serving Lee County Schools. These included compensation for unused vacation days and unused sick leave days. Noting that insurance plans were paid a month in advance, he asked for confirmation that those benefits would remain in effect through the month of July 2008. McCormick offered no reason for his resignation in his letter.

During a recess, Chairman Bill Tatum answered questions from the media.
(See and/or read the coverage at this link on WRAL) The Sanford Herald (Click here for The Sanford Herald website) took the unusual step of publishing a story on its web site following the meeting.

Stories claim that one school board member said there was discussion of "immoral conduct" in the closed session, a claim that was emphatically denied by Chairman Bill Tatum who said that the subject never came up--a claim confirmed by other members of the board the Dispatch contacted. They flatly denied any such discussion. The manner in which McCormick handled the matter made any such discussion irrelevant in the consideration of his resignation. The accuracy of what was discussed in the private session will be verified when the minutes of the closed session are released according to state law.

Various versions of rumors about marital misconduct have been circulated within the county, especially since a local radio station began reporting them last Thursday. Provisions of state law and of the Superintendent's contract could have forced the board to have proven some of the allegations and/or paid a huge financial settlement. The manner in which the situation was handled avoided an arduous process that could have proceeded for months or cost the county $100,000's in settlement fees.