The Walker County Schools system cleared up a misunderstanding Friday - Lori Vann, Cherokee Ridge Elementary School principal, is not being forced out of her job.
This came in a news release by Damon Raines, superintendent of Walker County Schools, trying to quell the outrage the community directed recently at the school system. The impression of some community members was, and still is, the school system tried to force Vann to resign.
"At no point was Ms. Vann asked to resign," the release said. "At no point did the Superintendent make a recommendation to the Board regarding termination of her employment."
The release said on the morning of Sept. 12, Vann contacted Raines and requested immediate vacation time to begin the process of retirement. Then on a Thursday Sept. 17 meeting with Vann, she changed her mind, the release said, and said she would not be retiring this year.
The release also said Vann has a statement she will read at a scheduled faculty meeting to help the staff understand the facts of her recent vacation and, "her choice to postpone her wishes to retire and to return to school in her normal capacity."
Some members of the Cherokee Ridge community - like parent Crystal Garrett - aren't buying the school board's explanation.
"Nobody does," she said.
In between those two conversations Raines and Vann had, there was a school board meeting on Sept. 15 where between 150 and 200 people showed up to voice concerns about their perception Vann was being forced out.
"Why would she retire just when the school year started?" Garrett said.
After the meeting concluded, the school board did not address the elephant in the room, as Garrett called it, and left without talking to the crowd about Vann's employment.
Garrett thinks the only reason Vann is still the principal is the pressure the community put on the school board, particularly Raines.
Garrett has had a child in Vann's school for 14 consecutive years. In a statement sent to the Times Free Press, Garrett defended Vann's character and had a message for Raines, saying the community will be "watching a lot more closely now."
Garrett said she felt compelled to speak for Vann, who has been silent since this all started last week.
Vann did not respond to a request for comment for this story. As of Saturday night, her Facebook page still said she is a "Former Teacher/ principal at Walker County Board of Education."
"If the people of Walker County hear of any more personal vendettas against any member of our school systems," Garrett wrote to Raines, "may the community and God have mercy on your soul."
Contact staff writer Evan Hoopfer at ehoopfer@timesfreepress.com or @EvanHoopfer on Twitter or 423-757-6731.