Joe Scott sees himself as an ardent advocate, vigorously fighting for his constituents and all taxpayers.

But many of his fellow Richmond County school board members say they see him as an antagonist, holding back the work of the board and threatening to affect the children of the school system.

"It's just detrimental to continue on the same line," board member Helen Minchew said in a recent interview. "It's to the point where it's disrupting meetings."

Earlier this month, Mr. Scott walked out of a finance committee meeting, bringing its business to a close because without him there was no quorum. His departure came after a heated nine-minute exchange with Superintendent Dana Bedden during which a visibly flustered Dr. Bedden told the board member that he wasn't "making any sense."

The superintendent also accused him of playing "cloak and dagger" games, treating central office employees like gofers to fetch information for unknown reasons and then not being satisfied with it.

The exchange came at the same meeting at which Mr. Scott had already clashed with board members Alex Howard, Venus Cain and Jimmy Atkins.

And last week, Mr. Scott was the lone vote against a bid to abate asbestos at National Hills Elementary School -- a position that fellow board members said endangers children's health.

Mr. Scott contends all of his actions are for the benefit of children and taxpayers. For instance, an issue he brings up often is the need to merge National Hills Elementary with Garrett Elementary, about a half mile away. That would save $15 million, he said, and that is why he voted against asbestos abatement. Yet in 2006, he voted in favor of keeping both schools.

And he was the only vote against a money saving plan to merge Lamar and Milledge elementaries -- two schools almost as close as National Hills and Garrett.

Mr. Scott's pointed questions are nothing new. Previously, he has suggested the school board secretary and the stenographer who record the meetings intentionally alter minutes to make him look bad.

It would be an effort that apparently hasn't worked. Mr. Scott, a former educator and school principal who considers himself an outsider on the board, said he enjoys strong community support. In November, he was re-elected with 74 percent of the vote.

"They like what I'm doing because I'm not afraid to bring the truth out," Mr. Scott said. He then added with a laugh, "I'm Robin Hood. I rob from the rich and give to the poor."

The way he represents District 5, however, hasn't proven effective, board member Frank Dolan said.

"He's been so divisive that he's a moot point on the board," Mr. Dolan said.

Arguments between other board members and Mr. Scott are becoming more frequent, but he said he is doing the work of his constituents and not the work of "the eight," a term he uses to refer to the other board members, excluding Barbara Pulliam.

"The eight" are voting in their own best interest and not in the best interest of children and taxpayers, Mr. Scott said. "The eight" almost always vote together.

"It's about power," he said. "It's not about doing what's right."

Much of his disdain is focused at Mr. Howard.

"It appears that young man hates my guts," Mr. Scott said. "He has no idea of what is going on, no earthly idea of what is going on. He's just a piece of matter occupying space."

But even Mrs. Pulliam wonders about Mr. Scott's approach.

"I think that's just his personality, but I'm not saying it doesn't need to be improved," she said. "My grandmomma used to say 'It's not what you say. It's how you say it.' He says it in a confrontational way."

Mrs. Pulliam said she raises some of the same issues as Mr. Scott, but she doesn't draw the same reaction from members.

"It's the person they're going after rather than what is being said," she said. "Wrong becomes right when six or seven of them want it."

She has requested a retreat be held so that board members can resolve personal differences and move forward.

"They've got to agree to disagree," Mrs. Pulliam said. "If we all thought alike and voted alike, we would just need one person on the board and it would save a lot of money and time."

The disputes cause some in attendance at meetings to laugh.

"We don't want to be entertainers," Mrs. Minchew said. "We don't want people out there laughing."