School board member Rhonda Thurman blasted the recent approval of Superintendent Jim Scales’ new four-year contract when she spoke to members of the local Pachyderm Club today.

Ms. Thurman delivered a diatribe against what she said were back-door dealings and disingenuous efforts at transparency by other members of the board.

Ms. Thurman said Dr. Scales took credit for many school board initiatives and other programs that he could not have spearheaded in his two years as superintendent. She also criticized the five board members who approved Dr. Scales’ contract for orchestrating the move without the other board members’ knowledge — including that of Chairman Kenny Smith.

Chip Baker, Janice Boydston, Joe Conner, Debra Matthews and Jeffrey Wilson voted for the new contract, while Chester Bankston, Everett Fairchild, Ms. Thurman and Mr. Smith voted against it.

Ms. Thurman claimed that even the news release announcing the contract had been kept secret by the approving board members.

“I got the press release, I called Kenny and said, ‘Kenny have you read the press release?’ He said, ‘what press release?’ Now he’s the school board chairman,” Ms. Thurman said. “I read it to him and he was livid. ... He didn’t even know about it before they sent it out.”

Board members who approved the new contract have rebuked the accusations.

She spoke to andaudience of about 56 people at the luncheon meeting at Niko’s on Cowart Street. The meeting also served as a forum to generate support for two Pachyderm members who are candidates for contested slots in the upcoming school board election — Joe Dumas is vying for the District 2 seat while Gregg Juster is running for the District 4 spot. Ms. Thurman is running unopposed in District 1.

For the complete coverage, see tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press.

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