Digital Scholarship and Initiatives

The Robeson County school board voted, 9-2, to offer the superintendent’s position to Purnell Swett.  The county will still have to pay $97,000 to William Johnson, former superintendent, who was forced out of the position in July with one year left in his contract.  A major task for Swett will be getting the county school system removed from the state’s takeover list.  The manner in which the school board voted to offer Swett the position, and differing viewpoints on Swett’s prior record as superintendent, prompted much discussion.  See Robesonian 15 Nov. 1992: 4A (editorial and cartoon); 30 Nov. 1992: 4A (letter); 4 Dec. 1992: 4A (column); 6 Dec. 1992: 5A (letter); 11 Dec. 1992: 4A (column); 16 Dec. 1992: 1A (more details on Swett’s contract); and 13 Jan. 1993: 1A (on Swett’s plans for addressing the school system’s problems).