Lancaster ISD Board moves to appoint interim superintendent

by Bill Conrad of Lancaster TODAY

The Lancaster Independent School District will appoint an interim superintendent at a called meeting of the school board Dec. 18, even though a final decision on the termination of Superintendent Larry Lewis has not yet been made.

Lewis received a notice of proposed termination from the Lancaster School Board Dec. 2 and has until Dec. 17 to request a hearing. Lewis' attorney Neal Adams said Lewis has yet to make a decision on whether to request a hearing, but Adams said he believes Lewis will request one.

If a hearing is requested, the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency will appoint a hearing officer, who will conduct a hearing on the matter.

The school board will conduct interviews for the position of interim superintendent at 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 18 and then meet at 7 p.m. the same day to make an appointment. No names of potential candidates have been released by the school district.

Lewis has been a controversial figure in Lancaster and was placed under investigation in August. Anderson Jones, the law firm hired to perform the investigation, presented its report to the school board Nov. 17.

Eugene Young has served as acting superintendent since Lewis was put on leave.

Copies of the report from Anderson Jones and Lewis' response are available on the Lancaster Today website. They can be viewed at www.todaynewspapers.net/specialsection/80/ and www.todaynewspapers.net/special section/81/.