West Memphis school district calls special meeting to discuss former superintendent

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The West Memphis school district is calling a special meeting after the former superintendent was fired abruptly in mid-April.

The interim superintendent Willie Rhodes and the rest of the board are expected to speak at the meeting about the former superintendent’s removal on Wednesday.

Richard Atwill was fired last week after being appointed in May 2022. The school board has not said why he was let go despite several requests.

Atwill’s appointment came after former superintendent Jon Collins resigned last year.

Some parents and community members weren’t happy with his appointment last May fearing he was chosen too quickly.

Throughout his time in the district, Atwill focused on school safety, approving a clear backpack policy for students K through 12, and increasing school resource officers at all 10 schools.

Following Atwill’s removal, the school board’s attorney and other staff members also resigned to show some solidarity with the firing.

Interim superintendent Rhodes previously served as the assistant superintendent for MSCS.

No word on where the search for a permanent replacement stands.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter!

Click here to report a spelling or grammar error. Please include the headline.

Copyright 2023 WMC. All rights reserved.