Larry ZieglerLarry Ziegler resigned Friday morning as principal of Marion High School - but his boss, Mark Griffith, the director of Marion County Schools, hopes Ziegler will change his mind.
"He just told me that he made a personal decision and he wanted to tender his resignation," Griffith said Friday afternoon. "He has not done it in writing yet; he did it verbally."
Ziegler didn't return calls to his cellphone Friday afternoon.
Griffith declined to comment about what motivated the decision by Ziegler, a Jasper native and Marion County High School alumnus who's been principal for three or four years, Griffith said.
However, Griffith did say that Ziegler's decision had nothing to do with last fall's scandal involving Marion County football coaches who vandalized their own football facilities. The coaches were trying to make it look like South Pittsburg was to blame in a ploy to fire up Marion's football players.
"Absolutely not," Griffith said. "Nothing to do with that whatsoever. We've ... moved on way past that."
Ziegler announced his resignation to the high school's staff Friday, Griffith said, but students were off. Ziegler plans to address students Monday, Griffith said.
Griffith doesn't think Ziegler will change his mind -- but he hopes he does.
As a high school principal, Ziegler's "close to one of the best -- if not the best -- in the state," Griffith said.