Charles Larke is one step closer to being fired as Richmond County's school superintendent.

Richmond County school board members met Tuesday night in private for nearly three hours and then emerged to narrowly pass a motion, starting the process to terminate Dr. Larke.

Much talk has swirled around the superintendent's future with the school system, but the board's action was the first taken since the board began contract negotiations April 18.

"For the first time in months, I feel relieved," board member Jimmy Atkins, who made the motion, said after the meeting. "For the first time in months, I can go home tonight and look at my family and my constituents in my district and say this was the right thing, this is what had to be done."

The board presented a "generous" offer that would have allowed the superintendent to maximize his retirement and leave in good standing, but he turned it down, Mr. Atkins said.

But Dr. Larke, who wasn't surprised by the board's action, dismissed it as political, as did many of his supporters who showed up at the meeting.

"I think there's a word for this," he said afterward. "It's called 'politics.'"

It's not over, Dr. Larke said.

"Just understand this - negotiations haven't come to an end," he said.

He plans to be at work this morning as he completes his contract, which runs out June 30, 2008, Dr. Larke said.

Board member Ken Echols said the "bottom line" is that the superintendent is in charge, pointing the finger at him for schools not meeting standards and "falsification" of discipline records at Murphey Middle School.

"In any other business, he would have been gone by now," Mr. Echols said, stressing that his motives aren't political.

Others disagree. The move to oust Dr. Larke is political, said retired teacher Ruth Reddy and board member Eloise Curtis.

Ms. Reddy said it's unfair to hold one person accountable for all that happens in a school system the size of Richmond County.

The superintendent's contract lays out the process by which he can be fired.

According to the contract, Dr. Larke must first be presented with a letter stating why he is being terminated.

The board must then give him an opportunity to respond to the charges in a public meeting in no less than 10 and no more than 20 days from receiving them.

After the hearing, it would take a two-thirds vote of the board to terminate the superintendent. Tuesday's action included a request for the state attorney general to rule on how many members that will be.

The board's action comes after it gave the superintendent an "unsatisfactory" annual job performance in March. The poor performance triggered a clause in his contract that ended his tax-deferred annuities July 1. Last year, his annuities amounted to $55,000.

Charges haven't been presented to the superintendent, but Dr. Larke said he has already heard four mentioned, all of which he challenged. The charges involve a lost federal discrimination lawsuit, a pending sexual harassment lawsuit, underreporting of discipline problems at Murphey Middle School and schools not meeting academic standards.

Reach Greg Gelpi at (706) 828-3851 or greg.gelpi@augustachronicle.com.

THE MOTION

As made and read by Jimmy Atkins:

I move that the Board of Education commence the process to formally consider whether the Superintendent of Schools should be removed and his contract terminated in compliance with the terms of his contract, our Charter and State law. To do so, I further move that the School Board attorney be directed to confer with each School Board member regarding the basis each member may have for removing the Superintendent and terminating his contract. I further move that the School Board attorney prepare a charge letter based on those discussions, said letter to contain clear statements of any proposed causes for contract termination. I further move that after preparation of the charge letter, this Board shall decide whether to move forward with removal of the Superintendent and termination of his contract on any of the grounds stated therein all in accordance with the Superintendent's contract, our Charter and applicable law. Also, I move to have the attorney contact the attorney general and get a ruling under the current makeup of the board if it will take six or seven votes to terminate.

Source: Richmond County Board of Education