Clayton County Superintendent John Thompson disputed a published report Tuesday that said he believes the school system has a "very slim" chance of keeping accreditation. Thompson said Tuesday he has been and remains fully confident the school system can keep accreditation.

On Monday, Thompson posted a video address on the school system's Web page in which he talked about how Clayton is doing. The audio on the video is unclear, but Thompson seems to say that after talking with politicians and others, the district "had a very slim chance of maintaining accreditation at all." This seems to indicate that the "slim chances" were in the past, before he took the job.

A story in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said Thompson said "we have a very slim chance" —- as if assessing the school system's current situation —- and indicated that was a turnaround from Thompson's previously stated position that Clayton will keep accreditation.

Thompson said he wasn't casting doubt on the future.

"We are so very, very, very assured that we will meet the accreditation standards come Sept. 1," Thompson said Tuesday. "There never was any doubt in my mind."

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools gave the district until Sept. 1 to meet nine conditions or lose accreditation.

That deadline won't be met, said two state Board of Education members who were helping Clayton.

James E. Bostic Jr. and William "Brad" Bryant, liaisons to the governor, met with Thompson his first week on the job in late April and told him the district will not keep accreditation under the superintendent's contract. Thompson's 14-month contract allows him to supersede board policy.

"This remnant board that signed this contract decided to give him all the responsibility, which means they can never be a fully functioning board and that's what has to happen," Bostic said Tuesday. "They are not a fully functioning school board and will not keep accreditation."

SACS' first stipulation is that the board be capable of following its roles and responsibilities.

Calling himself the most powerful superintendent in the nation, Thompson acknowledged his powers are unusual but said the situation is unusual.

Bryant said Clayton's chances of keeping accreditation are "very slim" because board members have not stepped down as the governor's liaisons recommended and have not addressed pending ethics complaints. Bryant said the July 15 election is key, but that gives the new board little time to make changes.

"It will be a huge amount of work when the new board comes," Bryant said Tuesday. "They are going to inherit something they can't fix from the day the primary is over to the day SACS makes its decision."

Thompson said he doesn't need the governor's liaisons' approval.

"I don't need anybody to tell me yes or no," Thompson said Tuesday. "We are answering the questions. ... You got to have a gut check."

On Tuesday, Thompson declined to specify how many mandates have been met but said the district is aggressively working on them.

"We are not only moving forward, but we're moving very enthusiastically," he said.

Thompson's address is available at www.clayton.k12.ga.us.