Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 23, 1994 TAG: 9406280012
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER NOTE: Strip
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The city School Board overruled Harris' decision to suspend Franklin, the director of an alternative education program for troubled youngsters.
Franklin's status remains uncertain for next year, however, because of the planned restructuring of the alternative education program.
Neither Franklin nor other staff members will know if they'll keep their jobs until a new head of the alternative program is hired.
Franklin is not seeking the new post because he does not have a master's degree, one of the requirements for applicants.
On a 3-2 vote after a seven-hour closed session that ended in the early morning hours Wednesday, the board decided to "reverse and rescind" Franklin's suspension.
Among other reasons, Harris disciplined Franklin for allegedly submitting inaccurate time cards for employees in the alternative education program and failing to comply with other financial procedures and regulations, including reimbursement for meals.
This was the second time in a month that Franklin had been suspended. He was suspended two days with pay earlier for allegedly failing to comply with administrative and financial procedures.
Neither Franklin nor his attorney, John Fishwick Jr., would comment Wednesday on the specific allegations, but they said they felt vindicated.
"It was democracy in action, and we are pleased with the board's decision," Fishwick said. "There were some allegations that we thought were unfounded, but I don't want to comment on them."
Harris had no comment on the board's action, saying it was a personnel matter. Some board members saw it as a setback for the superintendent, but others said the dispute centered more on administrative procedures than on personalities.
"I think this was the culmination of a lot of things. Over the past year, the alternative program has failed to comply with several procedures," said one board member who did not want to be identified. "We don't believe that anyone pocketed money, but procedures were not always followed."
Franklin said his differences with Harris are an honest disagreement over the best way to run an alternative education program and aren't personal.
"I don't consider this to be an adversarial relationship," he said. "I don't want a confrontation."
Franklin said the required procedures sometimes can be burdensome and interfere with the efficiency of an alternative education program.
"You need guidelines and regulations for this type of program, but they can't always be the same as those for the regular students," he said. "I see some of them as ineffective in dealing with these young people."
Wendy O'Neil, vice chairwoman of the board, said she was happy with the outcome. O'Neil, who made the motion to overrule Harris, said she respects Franklin and other employees in the alternative education program.
O'Neil, who will be leaving the board when her term expires next week, said it will be up to the new board to decide whether to retain Franklin and the rest of the alternative education staff. About 30 employees work in the program.
Board Chairman Charles Day and member Clubert "Don" Poff joined O'Neil in overruling Harris. Finn Pincus and Nelson Harris backed Harris. Marilyn Curtis and James Turner were absent.
Superintendent Harris said no decision has been made on who on the alternative education staff will be retained. He said he is interviewing applicants for a principal-level administrator to oversee the program. The new administrator may not be called a principal, he said, but will have the experience and qualifications of a principal.
William Hackley, who retired as assistant superintendent last year, has been overseeing the program and is Franklin's boss. He is leaving this month, however, to work in the private sector.
Harris said he has made a commitment to improve the alternative education program, and the pending change is intended to do that.
"Our goal is to retain as many of the [current staff] as possible," Harris said. As soon as the new person is hired to oversee the program, the decisions on the staff will be made, he said.
Franklin is the former executive director of the Roanoke Opportunities Center, a federally funded job-training agency. During Franklin's tenure, there were allegations about misuse of federal funds by the agency. No formal charges were filed, but the agency was required to install tighter controls over its finances. The agency shut down when federal funding was reduced dramatically.
by CNB