11 seek principal’s job

• By CHARLES LUSSIER
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Jul 30, 2009 - Page: 1B

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Howard Davis said he would not have resigned as principal of Scotlandville Magnet High School if he had known the kind of support he really had.

It’s a mistake that Davis is unlikely to be able to undo.

The East Baton Rouge Parish school system has received 11 applicants so far to replace Davis. Chris Trahan, a school system spokesman, said he expects Superintendent John Dilworth to make a decision soon about Davis’ replacement.

Davis apparently is no longer in the running. Reached by phone Wednesday, Davis said he received a letter dated July 21 rejecting his application and turning him down for an interview.

Davis, a graduate of Scotlandville High School, returned to his alma mater in fall 2006 to become principal. Many credit him with helping to revive the school’s spirit, improving discipline and engaging the largely black community there. The school’s test scores also improved, especially in math and English.

At a July 14 listening tour forum for Dilworth, almost 300 people filled the high school’s auditorium with many of them urging the new superintendent to bring Davis back to the school.

In February, auditors uncovered evidence that Davis’ secretary, Maxine Kennedy, had charged more than $50,000 worth of personal expenses on an unauthorized school credit card over the previous 28 months. On top of that, the school system was conducting a lengthy audit of the high school’s finances that, when complete, uncovered erratic recordkeeping and a general lack of financial controls.

Davis told The Advocate he was shocked when he learned about Kennedy, but said he didn’t want to resign.

“It was basically not by choice,” Davis said.

Elizabeth Duran Swinford, associate superintendent of human resources, however, disputed that. She said in a recent interview that no one forced Davis to resign.

Davis agreed. But he said Swinford showed him a resignation form and made it clear that none of the school system’s top administrators, known as the education leadership team, supported him continuing as principal.

“If you don’t have no support, what are you going to do?” Davis said.

Davis, however, said he quickly found that he did in fact have supporters at Central Office. So 10 days later, on March 13, he sent a letter to Swinford, asking that his resignation be rescinded.