Gadsden County Superintendent Elijah Key is facing backlash following a board meeting earlier this week.
On Tuesday night, school officials met to iron out the district’s budget. But an argument broke out after the board disagreed with the superintendent’s plan to task an employee with two different roles.
“I already knew what y’all were going to pull before we got here. We need to be careful— you’re going to respect me,” Key said before walking out of the meeting.
There has been ongoing tension between Key and the board over the roles and responsibilities of each.
“As a small rural district, we encounter unique challenges, with fiscal responsibility being a key concern,” Key said in a released statement.
"It is paramount that we understand, recognize and adhere to the distinct roles and responsibilities of the Superintendent and School Board. We remain steadfast in our commitment to advance the mission of providing a quality education to every student today, so that Gadsden County will be stronger tomorrow.”