The nominee to become Fulton County's next school superintendent has withdrawn as a candidate, according to school board officials.
Philip Lanoue, the Clarke County schools superintendent in Athens, won’t be in the running now for the job leading Georgia’s fourth-largest school system, officials announced Wednesday.
Lanoue “feels a strong need to remain as superintendent in Clarke County. We thank Dr. Lanoue for his interest and wish him well,” according to a released statement from Fulton schools. “Our school board is moving forward. We have a number of highly qualified candidates.”
Lanoue’s withdrawal follows reports that three Athens high school students, one of them 17 years old, the other two 18, face charges after a 15-year-old girl says she was raped in a school stairwell in January. Parents didn’t learn about the alleged crime until nearly a month later.
News reports say the three male students remained in school for days, and parents have been upset over the school’s handling of the case.
The Athens Banner-Herald reported Lanoue said in an email to parents Tuesday that "unfortunately, no student suspensions occurred" after the rape was reported at Cedar Shoals High School on Jan. 7. The three accused students were arrested more than three weeks later on Jan. 30 and Feb. 2.
Lanoue was named Fulton's sole finalist nearly two weeks ago by school board members. He was initially slated to join Fulton schools beginning May 1. He would have succeeded Robert Avossa, who left last June to become superintendent in Florida's Palm Beach County.
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