Over requests from the public for some members to resign, the Fayette County Board of Education formally accepted the retirement of embattled Superintendent Demetrus Liggins Monday night.
The board did not provide details on his retirement, which Liggins announced via an attorney late Friday, but chairman Tyler Murphy told members of the news media “there is no settlement.”
In addition, the school board also unanimously voted to accept an outside investigation by Ashland-based VanAntwerp Attorneys into Liggins’ conduct during employment, which the board received last week.
A redacted version of that report will be released in the coming weeks.
“We are committed to releasing it, that is our commitment. There are just a few more things that our team has to go through to make sure that everything is clear on the legal end of things, then it will be released through our normal process,” Murphy said.
He declined to give any details when pressed, saying “the report will speak for itself.”
The end of Liggins’ five-year tenure leading Kentucky’s second-largest school district comes after more than a year of turmoil following multiple budget shortfalls, a depleted contingency fund and revelations of years of financial mismanagement.
Monday, at the board’s regular action meeting at the John D. Price Administration Building, several public speakers called on board chair Murphy and vice chair Amy Green to resign, citing the ongoing crisis and outside audits that found a lack of oversight and governance.
“You must resign,” speaker and former school board candidate Matthew Vied told the board. “This district is in absolute crisis. Absolute crisis, and it was under your watch.”
Following the meeting, Murphy said he is proud to serve Fayette County and its second district.
“I was elected to prioritize students and families. That’s what I’ve been doing throughout this process. We’re focused on moving forward,” he said.
The board will now negotiate its contract with Interim Superintendent Bill Bradford to extend his position until a permanent superintendent has been hired. Murphy said the renegotiation will not include a boost to Bradford’s pay, which is currently a per diem at of more than $300.
There is no hard timeline for the search for the next superintendent, but in accordance with the law, a search committee should be assembled in the next 30 days, Murphy confirmed.
