Polk County Superintendent Placed on Leave Amid Investigation

The Polk County, Tennessee, school board voted 7-3 to place Superintendent James Jones on paid administrative leave after he indicated he intended to resign, and the board is negotiating a resignation agreement while seeking a permanent replacement. Pam Hindman was appointed interim director of schools. The decision followed a state audit and allegations that Jones misused school property, including keeping turkeys in a condemned school building; the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office is investigating complaints. Jones has not been found guilty of wrongdoing, and board members stressed that the allegations are not a finding of guilt. The vote drew both support from residents seeking changes in district leadership and concerns from board members about how the decision was made.