PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. – The Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD) fired Superintendent Dr. Jerry Guess at a Tuesday night meeting. Dr. Guess had been in the role since 2011.
The decision came after Dr. Guess told board members he wouldn’t stay on without the current attorneys. The board said they had a lack of confidence on the lawyers they were using for the district’s desegregation case and, at tonight’s meeting, they voted to dismiss the attorneys.
PCSSD President Dr. Linda Remele said the board felt they were not being informed of everything going on with the desegregation case and did not feel comfortable about the way the district was moving toward unitary status.
Dr. Guess vocalized on many occasions he wouldn’t stay if the attorneys were let go, so when the school board fired the attorneys, they felt they had no choice but to terminate his contract as well.
“The district feels we are unitary and the board feels like we are unitary and we want to receive unitary status on our own merit and not as a side deal in order to make somebody else happy,” Dr. Remele said.
The board appointed Dr. Janice Warren as the Interim Superintendent. She’s been with the district for the last five years and has had experience as a superintendent in another school district.
The board says Dr. Warren will act as Superintendent for the 2017-2018 school year and they will start a search to find Dr. Guess’ permanent replacement next spring.
