Bradley County Schools Superintendent Johnny McDaniel says he’s ready to go.
In a statement issued Friday, the embattled superintendent said he recognizes philosophical differences between himself and a majority of his bosses on the school board.
“In my role as superintendent, to be effective, I must stand with a majority of our school board, and they with me,” he said. “It has become apparent to me that this is not the situation under which I work at this time.”
The board is set to vote on a buyout of McDaniel’s contract Tuesday, but board Chairman Nicholas Lillios has said he may suggest a vote to extend the superintendent’s contract by four years if the buyout vote fails.
But McDaniel said he believes it’s best for him to leave the school system.
“I want a smooth and orderly transition between my leadership and a new director of schools,” his statement said.
If the buyout is approved, the board will continue to pay McDaniel’s $118,285 salary and $1,005 monthly auto allowance, along with retirement contributions and health insurance for himself and his wife, through June 30, 2016, or until he finds “comparable” employment. That means the board could pay McDaniel about $175,000 in salary and car allowances plus retirement and insurance payments.
McDaniel’s fate has been a divisive issue in the community and on the school board. Since the superintendent and the board chairman issued a joint statement Feb. 9 announcing a possible buyout deal, teachers, parents and students have signed petitions, packed a board meeting and lit up social media in a campaign to save the job of the superintendent of seven years.
And board member Christy Critchfield said the fight isn’t over yet. She still thinks there’s hope McDaniel could stay. She thinks a buyout is a waste of tax dollars, and the board should let him at least finish the 16 months left on his contract.
“Now people want to throw money down the drain to have Mr. McDaniel sit at home,” she said.
But member Dianna Calfee said the board has tried to work with the superintendent. She met with him in November to talk about how he and the board could cooperate better. But Calfee said McDaniel suggested a buyout then.
“It broke my confidence,” she said. “I tried to build that bridge and show collaboration between him and the school board … but he said no.”
And she said many of her constituents were concerned about McDaniel’s involvement in a controversy over Energy Manager Johnny Mull, who, with McDaniel’s approval, received more than $33,000 in tax-free mileage checks between 2010 and 2013 for supposedly driving nearly 100,000 business miles.
Calfee said that, after a Times Free Press report on Sunday revealed the payments, some of her constituents questioned why McDaniel wasn’t fired in 2013 when the board began questioning the reimbursements. Others think it’s best to wait out his current contract, she said.
The Bradley County Education Alliance criticized the buyout on its Facebook page Friday afternoon. The group, consisting of parents, teachers and community members, earlier presented a petition to the school board that held more than 1,200 signatures of people asking for McDaniel to stay.
“We are embarrassed and mortified that members of our community have behaved in such a manner and allowed this tragedy to occur,” the post said.
McDaniel couldn’t be reached for comment Friday, but his statement reiterated that he’s proud of the work he has accomplished in Bradley County.
“It has been my privilege to work with great schools, leaders, teachers and support staff,” he said, “and I want the very best for all of them.”
Contact staff writer Kevin Hardy at khardy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.
Contact staff writer Kendi Anderson at kendi.anderson@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6592.