By Rupert Howell

School trustees voted 4-1 during executive session Wednesday afternoon not to rehire longtime South Panola assistant football coach and teacher Mark Weaver.

The denied request came from a letter from Weaver to reinstate him and to facilitate an apology from Superintendent Shaffer and Principal Tim Fowler according to Shaffer.

Although names were not mentioned prior to the executive session, it involved the longtime coach/teacher who was terminated late last school year following an incident while reprimanding a student.

Weaver was not recommended for re-employment following the incident.

Trustee Buddy Gray was the dissenting vote and said after the meeting the he considered Weaver’s dismissal a “witch hunt.”

Present during the closed door session other than board members were Superintendent Keith Shaffer, board attorney Colmon Mitchell and South Panola Principal Tim Fowler.

Trustee Lygunnah Bean who voted with the majority and was contacted following Wednesday’s meeting said he was not comfortable talking personnel issues following an executive session.

Gray said that trustees watched a video of the incident and stated, “The video did not show enough to fire anyone.”

Trustees accepted one teacher resignation, two assistant teachers, hired five teachers, one assistant and four bus drivers during the meeting prior to going into executive session to discuss the personnel matter.