CLAYTON N.C. – After several months of fighting to get their principal back, students at Clayton High School are celebrating a victory.
- Dr. Bennett Jones will be reinstated as principal next Monday, but on a probationary basis.
- The internal investigation focused on three main areas- football, finance, and student graduations.
- Dr. Jones filed a grievance with the school system when former Superintendent, Ross Renfrow, removed Jones from his position.
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Dr. Bennett Jones will return to his position as principal of Clayton High School on a probationary basis next Monday.
Superintendent, Jim Causby, says the probationary period is because he wants to see how Jones addresses issues found during the school investigation.
The internal investigation focused mainly on three areas: football, finances, and student graduations.
A mid-September public meeting revealed that Dr. Causby found no evidence of athletic wrongdoing with the exception of one self-reported incident that the school was already aware of. Finances were still under review and six out of 13 students originally reported for not earning enough credits to graduate were cleared.
Monday, Johnston County Public Schools said:
"Four students listed as graduates did not walk or receive diplomas by the school. However, because their names were included on graduation reports completed by the school that were previously submitted to DPI, the school system had to make the necessary corrections by submitting a correction report. After an extensive review, four vocational students were found to have met graduation requirements through an alternate route. While the final five had issues concerning transcripts and records, the school system is honoring the diplomas."
Dr. Causby says the people who conducted the investigation acted in a fair and appropriate matter.
Dr. Jones also filed a grievance with the school system after he was removed from his position by former superintendent, Ross Renfrow.
Dr. Causby says he has ruled against the grievance.