Keen represented the school board at the special meeting. He told White she was disrupting the meeting when she tried to speak on behalf of the school superintendent and assistant superintendent, Steve Adair and Assistant Superintendent Darlene Adair. Both were fired at the meeting.
Some of the parents attending the meeting tried to speak on behalf of the Adairs and against their dismissal, but Keen refused to allow them to speak because they had not asked to be put on the agenda.
White was allowed to return to the meeting later.
Board President Anthony Fourkiller, Bertha Ketcher, member, L.C. Peck, clerk, and Lyle Coiner, vice-president attended the meeting. Florence Sanders, member, did not attend the meeting. About 50 school patrons also attended the meeting.
Keen told the board, "In my opinion it would be in the best interest of the school district for the Adairs to be suspended immediately."
The board voted to approve the dismissal of the Adairs. Fourkiller, Ketcher and Peck voted to approve, and Coiner voted not to approve. A list of infractions was filed against both the Adairs, but Keen would not read them aloud to the crowd, nor would he release of copy of the complaints to those present. Keen told the group that he had been informed of improper behavior on the part of Adair and his wife.
Alex William Watt Jr., the current high school principal and athletic director, was appointed to serve as superintendent of the school by the board.
Once Fourkiller had adjourned the meeting, he walked over to where Steve and Darlene Adair were sitting and asked them to turn in all their school keys. This caused another outburst from some of the parents attending the meeting.
White defended the Adairs by saying they had come in and cleaned up the school, which had been filthy before they assumed responsibility.
The improvements the Adairs have made in the two years they have been at Cave Springs include renovation of the oldest building on the campus into an early childhood learning center and a media center. Climate control has been improved in all the classrooms. The athletic department has been upgraded complete with a fitness center both inside the building and another fitness center outside.
Safety issues were addressed at the football field with new bleachers complete with sidewalk access. A new baseball field was built and the whole school has been cleaned thoroughly. Old carpeting was replaced in the classrooms and bright colors decorate the elementary classrooms and playground.
Darlene Adair said when they arrived at the school two years ago, she cried when she saw the condition of the school. "After we cried, we buckled down and began to work to put the school back into good condition."
Controversy has been rampant since the attempt in April by the school board to dismiss Watt for incompetency. Watt reportedly had 19 violations of failure to follow school policy. The board voted three to two not to dismiss Watt.
A board meeting was held in August to do away with the position of assistant superintendent. Coiner said the meeting to abolish the position of assistant superintendent was, in his opinion, a backlash to the attempt to remove Watt. According to state policy, Mrs. Adair would have to have a due process hearing before she could be removed from the position.
Coiner said he had talked to a number of the Cave Springs school teachers who said they were pleased with the improvements made at the school. Coiner said he was also very pleased with the improvements. He said he had been on the school board longer than the other four members and he appreciated the Adairs' hard work.
Coiner said the Adairs had developed a school curriculum that will benefit the students, thereby benefiting the community. "When the Adairs came two years ago, the school was in bad shape. They have worked hard to make these improvements and I feel they are doing a good job."
Some of the parents remained on the school grounds following the meeting discussing what had happened until dispersing about an hour later.
