SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. — Members of Spotsylvania County's school board voted unanimously Tuesday to fire superintendent Mark Taylor. Taylor became superintendent in 2022, despite criticism over his lack of experience in the education field.
Before the vote, School Board Chair Dr. Loretta Daniels spoke.
"The school division, the community, and the kids have been through enough the past few years," Daniels said. "When is enough enough?"
Daniels said the majority of the board has reached a consensus to terminate Taylor's contract with cause after a closed-door meeting with attorneys.
Parents, school board members, and even Taylor's own family members told WUSA9 that Taylor was not qualified for the position when he was selected in 2022. Taylor signed the contract for $245,000 per year. That's $30,000 more than his predecessor was paid, with nearly four years of pay guaranteed.
Taylor replaced Scott Baker, who was abruptly fired in January 2022.
Since then, WUSA9 has reported on complaints against the superintendent. Last year, he proposed budget cuts that included eliminating all school libraries and laying off dozens of teachers. He also banned certain books despite recommendations by a committee to keep them.
Board members Belen Rodas, Carol Medawar, Megan Jackson and Nicole Cole voted to terminate the contract in Tuesday's meeting. Daniels abstained from the vote, saying she hoped the board can do more to identify causes for Taylor's firing.
"It is time to move forward," Daniels said.
We have reached out to Spotsylvania County Schools to learn what the next steps are following the board's vote. We have not yet heard back.
Meanwhile, Cole said Taylor can still appeal the decision in the near future. He was placed on administrative leave in January. Cole said pursuing to terminate Taylor was made possible because of the new makeup of the school board with three new members.
"We're trying to do our best to make sure the school divisions have the best resources we need to do the best jobs for our students moving forward," Cole told WUSA9. "It was going to be hard for him to be successful without having the proper qualifications."
Cole also paused trying to appeal the decision by the Virginia Board of Education to license Taylor despite opposition over his zero experience in education.
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