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The Coffee County Schools Board of Education voted unanimously with a 8-0 vote to terminate without cause Director of Schools Dr. Charles Lawson during its meeting Monday, Oct. 14.

The school district will payout the remainder of Lawson’s salary in monthly installments until the conclusion of his contract. The Coffee County Schools 2023-2024 Budget lists for Director of Schools salary at $143,394 for the year.

During the meeting, board members voted 7-0, with member Jennifer Peacock Hodge abstaining, to appoint Dr. Prater Powell as interim director of schools. 

“It has been my honor to work with the employees of Coffee County Schools to do the best that we can for the students under our care,” Lawson said Monday following the meeting. 

No board member commented about Lawson’s contract during the meeting.

Each of the seven current school board members were contacted by The Times through their school board emails on Tuesday, Oct. 15 requesting comment on two questions.

The questions were their reason for voting to buyout Lawson’s contract and if they believed paying two directors of school at the same time is the best use of taxpayer funds. The deadline given to board members to reply was Thursday, Oct. 17 at 5 p.m. At that time, only Jennifer Peacock Hodge had submitted an emailed reply.

“My only comment is that I hold no ill will towards Dr. Lawson, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” Peacock Hodge said.

Board Chairman Thomas Ballard did speak with The Times in Manchester Tuesday afternoon following the meeting.

“Really what I can say is we needed a new direction to align with the board,” he said when asked about the buyout. “We have three new board members right now and as of November 5^th a fourth new board member. We pretty much have half of a new board there. I don’t know who is going to be there Nov. 5, who is going to win that election but we have some people who are serious about moving the board forward and that was basically the reason there.”

Ballard said that while Lawson’s contract allowed him 30 days following the board’s vote to buyout his contract to conclude his role with the district, he concluded his services Monday evening.

“According to his contract he had 30 days, but our board attorney Mr. Cagle negotiated out with him and he basically had resigned effective as of last night as far as I know,” Ballard said. “That is my understanding at this moment.”

Ballard said he had spoken with Powell following the meeting, and that he had accepted the position of interim director of schools.

“The board authorized myself and (board attorney) Mr. Cagle to negotiate a contract with him for interim director and that is in process,” he said.

Ballard said the school board will begin the search for a permeant director of schools and said his understanding is that process can typically be completed within a six month time frame.