July 9, 2004
Ben Hill County -- A principal accused of having a phony online degree may keep his job next year. Even though a state board voted to revoke Fitzgerald High Principal Daivd Mims teaching certifate but this case is far from over.
The state Professional Standards Commission voted eleven-to-one to revoke Fitzgerald Principal David Mims teachers' license. He is one of eleven Georgia educators who paid for bogus online degrees. Now after waiting for the results of a 4 month investigation the Ben Hill County School board is still playing the waiting game.
"Until we get some kind of written statement from them there in not much we can do at this point. We turned over to the PSC the investigation of the allegations filed against Mr.Mims," says Ben Hill County Superintendent John Key.
But the wait for that written statement could be longer than they think. According the Standard Commission, Mims now has the right to an appeal, which could launch another lenghty investigation that could last from a month to 2 years.
An amount of time that may be too long for some in this community. Mims has been the target of NAACP claims that he mistreats black students. While his student supporters say Mims is a good pricipal and even worked to lift a ban that kept him away from graduation. And still the debate goes on.
"The stars get doctorates for not even going to college, stuff they have not done. If he has been doing fine with our childern let him be," says parent Elaine Hubbert.
"I think he should lose his job because, how can a principal teach students the right education and he has a phony degree himself," says parent Shara Butler.
The school board says regardless of what has been decided so far they will wait until the entire case against Mims is closed before they decide his fate with the school system.
After the appeals process if the Stardard commission still finds Mims guilty of ethics voliations he will not be eligble to work in any school in Georgia.
posted at 6:42PM by scott.hunter@walb.com
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