THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 2, 1996 TAG: 9603020247
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Sidney L. Faucette resigned Friday evening as superintendent of Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia after eight months at the helm. A unanimous Gwinnett school board accepted his resignation, which is effective 5 p.m. Monday.
Faucette, who served as superintendent for Virginia Beach schools for four years, was heavily criticized in a scathing special grand jury report released in Virginia Beach on Wednesday. The report blamed Faucette's ``dictatorial management style'' and ``reckless approach to spending decisions'' as leading to the environment that left Virginia's second-largest school district with a $12.1 million deficit at the end of the 1994-95 fiscal year.
In his letter of resignation, Faucette wrote the Gwinnett board: ``I appreciate and value the confidence and friendship you have shown me since we first met on May 1, 1995. Because of my relationship and my concern for the children of Gwinnett County, I offer my resignation on terms agreed to by the board and me.''
When asked by reporters in Gwinnett whether Faucette would have been fired had he not left voluntarily, board chairwoman Louise Radloff said the board would have asked for his resignation.
The Gwinnett board met behind closed doors for 2 1/2 hours Friday before announcing that Faucette would be leaving the district. Faucette was present during at least part of the board's deliberations; he had left by the time the announcement was made.
By leaving voluntarily, Faucette will save the Gwinnett schools money. Had the board terminated his contract, the district would have had to pay him $135,000 - one year's salary. Instead, he will be given 90 days' pay - 60 days as severance and 30 to be available to work in transition with the assistant superintendent who has been named as his interim replacement.
The special grand jury report has sent shock waves through Virginia Beach. Along with calling for the resignation of seven sitting School Board members, two of whom resigned Thursday, and the director of budget development, the report harshly condemns the district's financial management system during Faucette's tenure.
With regard to Faucette, the report said: ``Despite ample evidence that would justify prosecuting him for malfeasance, we see little practical purpose to be gained by his prosecution since the major sanction for his offense is the loss of employment.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Sidney L. Faucette.
KEYWORDS: RESIGNATION by CNB