PINE BLUFF — The Dollarway School Board in Pine Bluff has suspended its superintendent indefinitely but declined to give a reason for the move.
Board member George Stepps said Friday that the board voted 5-0 to suspend Superintendent Arthur Tucker on Thursday evening but that Tucker is not in any legal trouble and didn’t violate anycode of conduct.
“He serves at the discretion of the board,” Stepps said. “I’m not at liberty to discuss anything at this point.”
Stepps said the suspension will likely be discussed in detail at the board’s next meeting at 6 p.m. Aug. 10.
Stepps said the suspension began Thursday night. The board appointed federal programs coordinator Ruth Bogy as interim superintendent.
A message left at a home phone number listing for Tucker was not immediately returned Friday afternoon.
Calls to Dollarway School Board President Gene Stewart’s cell- and home-phone numbers were not immediately returned Friday.
Tucker took over as superintendent of the 1,700-student Dollarway School District on July 1, 2009.
Before he was hired at theDollarway district, Tucker had served as assistant superintendent for five years in the Texarkana School District.
Tucker accepted a contract to run the district through the spring of 2012. He earns $100,000 annually.
Tucker took over for former Superintendent Thomas Gathen, who left to be the superintendent of the McGehee School District in Desha County.
Arkansas, Pages 15 on 07/31/2010