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A bitter and lengthy battle over the Burke County Schools' superintendent probably cost Tracy Norman her job as school board chairman on election day.
Now a legal mess could cost teachers and other school staff members.
The Burke County School Board said it owes a law firm nearly $350,000 -- part of that for the costs of defending the school system in its eventually successful battle to oust David Burleson as superintendent earlier this year. Burleson, whose contract was bought out in July, had sued the school system for breach of contract.
Earlier this week, some board members said cuts in pay and bonuses might be required, to pay the legal bills.
The effort to replace Burleson became a heated issue in Burke County, drawing hundreds of angry residents to several board meetings. Most residents supported Burleson and vowed to defeat Norman, the only one of four board members who opposed Burleson and was running for re-election in November.
Norman was defeated earlier this month, outpolled by a 15-to-1 margin by her chief opponent.
Results of the election will make the contingent that opposed Burleson a minority when the new board is seated in early December.
However, the school system owes the Schwartz & Shaw law firm $100,000 to defending itself against Burleson, and another $240,000 for suing Burke County commissioners for more funding. The county had cut funding to the schools after several commissioners said they were unhappy over the ouster of Burleson and the bad feelings that had been generated in Burke County.
A national school accreditation agency later put the school system on probation, threatening to revoke certification of Burke County's high schools. The agency blamed school board bickering and related problems.
Board member Sam Wilkinson, who opposed the effort to replace Burleson and was a big winner in this month's election, said of the legal bills, "The money's not there. We're going to have to find it."
Speaking to WCNC-TV, the Observer's news partner, Wilkinson said, "It has to impact students, teachers, taxpayers, everyone."
The system's new superintendent, Art Stellar, said he hopes other cost-cutting measures could help the Burke County Schools pay the bills.
WCNC-TV contributed.
