Board: Fired principal blew last chance

When he suggested a school social worker wear a dress and stilettos to a presentation, former North Cobb High School principal Lawrence Bynum violated a “last chance” letter he received in July, the Cobb County school board concluded in a written report released Wednesday.

The board voted unanimously to fire Bynum last week, going beyond the recommendations of Superintendent Fred Sanderson and a panel of educators who heard testimony on sexual harassment allegations.

“The board’s action to terminate was actually just one step beyond what I had recommended —- a suspension and demotion,” Sanderson said Wednesday. He said he agreed with the board’s rationale.

During the summer, Sanderson promoted Bynum from principal of Floyd Middle to North Cobb principal. Shortly after beginning employment at the high school, Bynum received a letter of reprimand after a sexual harassment investigation that began with a complaint from a former Floyd teacher. The investigation concluded that Bynum had created a hostile work environment for some school employees.

School board members have said they were unaware Bynum was under investigation at the time of his promotion. Sanderson has since apologized to the board.

The stiletto comment, which Bynum acknowledged making, along with alleged comments to two other colleagues, amounted to insubordination, the report states.

Before the first day of school in August, Bynum allegedly made sexually explicit statements about female colleagues to a male administrator at North Cobb. He also is accused of retaliating against a female administrator at the school who expressed interest in a job at another school.

“They threw away a jewel when they got rid of him,” said lawyer Warren Fortson, who represents Bynum. “He didn’t do any of that talking.”

Bynum could not be reached for comment Wednesday. He has 30 days to file an appeal with the state Board of Education.