Selma Schools Superintendent placed on administrative leave | News

SELMA, AL (WSFA) - A surprise motion during Thursday night's Selma City School Board meeting has placed School Superintendent Dr. Donald Jefferson on administrative leave.

School Board District 3 Representative and Vice President  Frank Chestnut Jr. offered a motion criticizing Jefferson's approval of a contract without the school board's permission. A 3-2 vote of the board placed Jefferson on leave pending a hearing scheduled for October 25 to discuss his contract.

This all surrounds the approval of a contract with STI Achievement Services for the 2010-2011 school year that Jefferson admittedly signed without board approval. Jefferson called attention to what he called an error in the September board meeting while calling for a new contract with the same company for next school year.

Gerald Shirley has been named the interim School Superintendent. Shirley has been serving as the School of Discovery Principal.

Jefferson held the position of Superintendent for close to a year, he previously served as the Interim Superintendent for Selma City Schools and before that he worked for the Alabama State Department of Education.