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SALT LAKE CITY — Timothy Gadson III resigned as superintendent for the Salt Lake City School District on Friday, ending the monthslong speculation about a dispute between him and the school board.
In a statement released jointly with Gadson, the Salt Lake City Board of Education announced it has accepted his resignation effective Oct. 1, but said Gadson has agreed to remain on as a consultant through the term of his contract with the district. Gadson cited personal reasons for his departure.
Gadson will take personal time off next week while the details of the agreement are finalized.
"Notwithstanding public speculation to the contrary, there has been no finding of any wrongdoing on the part of Dr. Gadson and no violation of law by either Dr. Gadson or the Salt Lake City School Board," the statement said.
Gadson, who became the first Black educator to lead a school district in Utah was abruptly placed on administrative leave in July, only a year after he was appointed to the role.
School board members have not provided more information about why Gadson was placed on leave and have declined to comment on the personnel matter.
Some people have alleged that Gadson is the victim of racism and discrimination in an attempt to force him to resign. During a public comment session last month, NAACP Salt Lake Branch President Jeanetta Williams said the school board is in a "blatant racial discrimination pandemic."
Williams outlined her complaints in a letter she and Sen. James Evans wrote to residents of the district.
"We assert that the core of this campaign to force out Dr. Gadson is driven by individual board members upset that he has not acted on direction given directly by them to him," the letter states. "This has led to an environment of intimidation, racial harassment, unfounded complaints, and secretive closed-door meetings to push him out without due process, and without cause."
Salt Lake City Board of Education President Melissa Ford said in August that Gadson had requested mediation of his dispute. She said the board would participate "in good faith" and that it is "committed to transparency."
"If there ever were to be a termination of either of our two direct employees' contracts, that would be done in an open and public meeting," she said.
