Associated Press
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Wilcox County Board of Education has voted to fire former state Rep. James Thomas from his job as principal of Wilcox Central High School in Camden. Thomas faces criminal charges that he sexually abused a 17-year-old student.
Wilcox Superintendent Rosa Ashmon said Friday the board voted to begin the legal process of firing Thomas. She said his pay would stop once the process is complete.
School board member Darryl Perryman said through a private Facebook message that the board voted Monday to fire Thomas. He said the action was taken during a specially called meeting of the school board.
On Tuesday, Wilcox County District Attorney Michael Jackson said Thomas had been indicted by the county grand jury on the felony charge of third-degree sex abuse and the misdemeanor charge of having sex with a student under 19.
Thomas has been on paid leave from his principal's job since he was charged in November with abusing a student.
He is free on bond. His bond was raised from $15,000 to $45,000 in December after he was accused of violating the terms of his bond, which prohibited him from attending Wilcox Central school events. He was accused of violating the court orders by attending Wilcox Central basketball games in Hayneville and Selma. Thomas said he misunderstood the court's original order and thought it was okay for him to attend road games.
Thomas' attorney, Lewis Gillis, said Friday he was considering taking action to get Thomas' job back. Gillis said he would meet with Thomas and discuss options for fighting his dismissal and the indictment. Thomas said earlier this week that he was expecting the grand jury indictment and expected to be found innocent when the case goes to trial.
Jackson said an arraignment for Thomas would be held in several months.
Thomas served for 28 years in the House, representing Autauga, Dallas, Lowndes and Wilcox counties in the economically disadvantaged Black Belt region in southwest Alabama.
The Alabama Legislature this year passed a bill streamlining Alabama's teacher tenure law to make it easier for schools to fire teachers and other school employees.
Republican House Speaker Mike Hubbard said situations like the one involving Thomas are why the new tenure law was passed. He encouraged Wilcox school officials to take action to remove Thomas from the payroll.
"Considering the new flexibility school systems now have, it would be a shame for them to not use it when it's needed the most," Hubbard said.
Wilcox Superintendent Rosa Ashmon said Friday the board voted to begin the legal process of firing Thomas. She said his pay would stop once the process is complete.
School board member Darryl Perryman said through a private Facebook message that the board voted Monday to fire Thomas. He said the action was taken during a specially called meeting of the school board.
On Tuesday, Wilcox County District Attorney Michael Jackson said Thomas had been indicted by the county grand jury on the felony charge of third-degree sex abuse and the misdemeanor charge of having sex with a student under 19.
Thomas has been on paid leave from his principal's job since he was charged in November with abusing a student.
He is free on bond. His bond was raised from $15,000 to $45,000 in December after he was accused of violating the terms of his bond, which prohibited him from attending Wilcox Central school events. He was accused of violating the court orders by attending Wilcox Central basketball games in Hayneville and Selma. Thomas said he misunderstood the court's original order and thought it was okay for him to attend road games.
Thomas' attorney, Lewis Gillis, said Friday he was considering taking action to get Thomas' job back. Gillis said he would meet with Thomas and discuss options for fighting his dismissal and the indictment. Thomas said earlier this week that he was expecting the grand jury indictment and expected to be found innocent when the case goes to trial.
Jackson said an arraignment for Thomas would be held in several months.
Thomas served for 28 years in the House, representing Autauga, Dallas, Lowndes and Wilcox counties in the economically disadvantaged Black Belt region in southwest Alabama.
The Alabama Legislature this year passed a bill streamlining Alabama's teacher tenure law to make it easier for schools to fire teachers and other school employees.
Republican House Speaker Mike Hubbard said situations like the one involving Thomas are why the new tenure law was passed. He encouraged Wilcox school officials to take action to remove Thomas from the payroll.
"Considering the new flexibility school systems now have, it would be a shame for them to not use it when it's needed the most," Hubbard said.
No comments:
Post a Comment