Lancaster rescinds $2M buyout, votes to fire former superintendent instead

Lancaster trustees reversed a $2 million buyout and voted to fire former superintendent  Elijah Granger at a Tuesday night board meeting.

The 4-3 decision comes at the end of a tense month-and-a-half period that started when board members issued Granger a new five-year, $1.6 million contract. But then trustees suddenly bought Granger out of that contract, without any stated reason, less than two weeks later.

A new board majority began to backtrack on the payment that district officials said would drain Lancaster’s reserves. If the payment had gone through, the state would have also docked the district close to $2 million in funding, officials estimated.

“This is in the best interest of the district for us to move forward and focus on tomorrow,” trustee Carolyn Ann Morris said.

LaShonjia Harris, one of the board members who voted against rescinding the separation agreement and Granger’s firing, said the superintendent did not do anything to warrant termination.

Granger declined to comment Tuesday night.

Earlier this month, Judge Tonya Parker granted a temporary injunction, halting the payout until at least next October. In late November, Lancaster trustees instructed district attorneys to renegotiate the severance agreement with Granger.

However, instead of renegotiating, trustees voted 4-3 to begin termination proceedings for Granger. The district will start the process by sending a letter to Granger with the board’s reasons for termination, a Lancaster attorney said. Granger can contest the termination and request a hearing before the Texas Education Agency. The TEA is also investigating the district for the superintendent buyout.

Trustees did not elaborate on why they wanted to fire Granger. Board president Marion Hamilton told The News that information wouldn’t be publicly available until Granger received it and had the opportunity to appeal.

Trustees also voted to seek proposals from forensic auditors but did not define the scope of the potential audit. Board member Ty G. Jones emphasized that the move would allow trustees to be more transparent with the public about potential issues in the district.