ASHDOWN – The Ashdown School Board, in a called meeting Monday night, suspended second year superintendent Robert Poole. The action was taken after news broke this past weekend of audit findings at the Prescott School District, where Poole had previously served as superintendent.
After the called meeting opening at 5:00 pm, two individuals had signed up to speak during the public comment section of the meeting. The board went into executive session for about two-and-a-half hours before returning to open session. In open session, board member Ashley Aylett introduced a motion to suspend Poole with pay until further notice, removing him from all his duties. That motion carried 6-1, with member Dorothy Henderson voting no, to go on record saying he had not been found guilty of anything.
The board voted to return to executive session at 7:50 pm. Near 9:00 pm, the board returned to open session. Ashley Aylett made a motion to name Chris Scarborough interim superintendent until further notice. That motion passed 7-0. Scarborough is the district’s Federal Programs Coordinator/Title IX Coordinator.
Following the action, the meeting adjourned.
Shortly after the meeting, Board President Chuck Davis released a statement which said in part:
The Ashdown School has placed Superintendent Robert Poole on administrative leave pending further information regarding a legal matter related to his prior employment with another school district.
This action is administrative in nature and should not interpreted as a determination of wrongdoing.