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Mineral Springs School Superintendent Thelma Forte has been suspended with pay for the duration of her contract following the monthly meeting of the Mineral Springs School Board on Monday, July 8th. The board immediately went into executive session and returned to open session after ten minutes.
Mike Erwin, who was elected board president at last month’s meeting, announced that they would be taking a vote to suspend Superintendent Forte with pay for the duration of her contract. The vote passed on a 4-1 vote with Sheila Jackson voting no.
Superintendent Forte, board member William Dixon, and board member Dorothy Vaughn walked out of the board meeting before the vote took place, later saying they were stunned at what had happened.
Board President Erwin said an additional meeting would be held on Tuesday, July 9th at the Saratoga school campus at 6:30 p.m. to negotiate a contract for Curtis Turner to return in the interim.
Board members that walked out of the meeting spoke with the media afterwards. Dixon and Vaughn stated that the vote should not have taken place and that no reason was specified as to why the Superintendent was suspended. Forte also commented that the district has had no financial trouble during her term and that a half of a million dollars was saved during the new school building project. She stated that she was worried for the students of the district.
