(EDITOR'S NOTE: Cherokee

BLACKWELL

County School Board Chairman

Billy Blackwell issued the following

statement Thursday af ternoon

in response to the recent

news articles regarding the suit

by Andy Jones agai nst the

district, acting superintendent

Kim Bagwell, associate superintendent

Dr. Carlotta Redish, a

district teacher and four school

board members.)

First in my capacity as board chairman and on behalf of the district, based on advice of the district’s attorney, I will not specifically comment at this time on the specifics of the suit and how the defendants will respond. At the board meeting scheduled for June 14, 2010, the board will be provided with a copy of the complaint and also will discuss the matter with Andrea White, attorney for the district.

As one member of the board who has been named in my individual and official capacity as a defendant in Mr. Jones’ suit, I would like to take this opportunity to say that, contrary to the allegations that I understand are asserted in Mr. Jones complaint and which have been printed in the media, at no time have I made any false defamatory statements about Mr. Jones’ employment status or about the sexual harassment grievance filed against him.

I also would like to say that contrary to the information apparently stated in Mr. Jones’ lawsuit, I have not participated in any conspiracy to remove Mr. Jones from his position as assistant superintendent. While Mr. Jones will not serve as assistant superintendent for the 2010-11 school year, Mr. Jones continues to be an employee of the district and to my knowledge, he has not filed any grievance nor has he requested to address the board regarding his employment status.

Despite what Mr. Jones and his attorneys may claim, I have no “ruthless agenda” to remove any administrator or other district employee; my sole agenda as an elected school board member is to provide a quality education for the students of Cherokee County and to ensure that all of the district’s employees are treated in a professional, fair and lawful manner.

I find it very unfortunate that in these tough economic times, one of the district’s employees is seeking to recover millions of dollars from the school district, particularly when that employee, unlike many others, still has a job in the district. While I firmly believe that I, along with the district will be successful in defending against Mr. Jones’ suit, the district will be required to spend time, money and energy on that defense — Money that could otherwise be spent in the classroom and on behalf of students. As an elected official and as a taxpayer, I find that simply wrong.

Billy Blackwell