Skiatook School Board Begins Process To Fire Superintendent

By Ashli Sims, The News On 6

SKIATOOK, OK -- The Skiatook school board voted unanimously Friday afternoon to begin the process of firing its embattled superintendent.

As superintendent, Dr. Gary Johnson was in charge of purchases. Johnson was suspended with pay on March 2 after the state Auditor and Inspectors Office revealed in February that Skiatook schools wasted more than $500,000 on overpriced custodial supplies and security equipment.

Read the audit report.

The five-member board met behind closed doors for one hour before deciding to notify Johnson in writing of his possible dismissal. He still has a chance to fight for his job at a due process hearing.

"I do believe that was the decision that needed to be made," said Cathy Woolman, a Skiatook parent.

Several Skiatook parents and taxpayers, who showed up to the meeting, feel like it's a grindingly slow process, short on answers.

"No, the public is not getting answers. That's why we're all very frustrated with what they call ‘due process,'" said Dianne Shaw, a Skiatook parent.

The school board's action Friday is just the first step in the process. The board's attorney says Dr. Johnson will continue to draw his full $150,000 salary until the process is complete.

"Yes, under the law he's entitled to his pay and benefits until he is no longer employed with the district," said John Priddy, School Board Attorney.

"And they say these are the state laws. Well I think the state laws need to be changed to better protect the public and not protect the superintendent," said Shaw.

And some folks want the school board, who didn't protect their money, to be held accountable too.

"They have just accepted a man's word. When he says, 'yes, I'm taking care of the invoices, don't worry. Trust me,'" said Shaw. "No, they should not have trusted that man."

Johnson has said in the past he believed the district was getting a good deal and the audit uses unreasonably low prices which make the problem look worse than it really is. After he gets the dismissal notification, he has ten days to request a due process hearing.

3/11/2010 Related Story: Skiatook School Superintendent Protests Audit Findings