PRINCIPAL GETS JOB BACK AT PRATT

Kanawha Educator Acquitted Last Week

The former principal of Pratt Elementary, who was acquitted of drug
possession charges last week, was returned to his job Tuesday by a
slim majority of the Kanawha County Board of Education.

David Anderson is expected to return to work at Pratt Elementary
School within the next few days, Superintendent Ron Duerring said. He
said he plans to meet with Anderson in the next day or two.

School board members voted 3-2 to reinstate Anderson, who was charged
with cocaine possession in October. Board members Jim Crawford, Becky
Jordon and Barbara Welch also approved reimbursing Anderson, with
interest, for salary lost since Nov. 8.

Jordon and Crawford feared the school system would face a lawsuit if
they did not reinstate Anderson.

"I did what I thought was best for the school system," Crawford said.

Board members Bill Raglin and Pete Thaw blasted the decision.

"The whole sort of thing, it says to me, do I want that person
teaching my children?" Raglin asked. "I say no."

Anderson was arrested outside the Washington Manor public housing
complex about 3:20 a.m. by Charleston Police Cpl. J.F. Taylor.

Taylor said he suspected a drug deal was taking place when he spotted
Anderson's black Honda CRV circling the complex several times and
then parking with its lights off.

The officer said he found two-tenths of a gram of cocaine in
Anderson's back pocket. At his trial, Anderson denied it was his, and
said it was put there by a man whom Anderson gave a ride home.

A Kanawha County Magistrate Court jury acquitted Anderson last week.

Amy Macleery, whose daughter is a first-grader at Pratt, said she was
disappointed in the board's decision. She said Anderson sets a bad
example for students.

"Kindergarten through elementary; that's when they're most
impressionable," she said.

Rachel Oakes, a fifth-grade teacher at Pratt, said the school's
Faculty Senate voted unanimously Monday to support Anderson.

"I'm absolutely ecstatic," she said after Tuesday's decision. "I'm so
excited to have him back. He was so good for our school."

She agreed with Crawford, Welch and Jordon's decision to abide by
last week's court ruling.

"If we go against the judicial system, then what does that mean?" she said.

The school board is considering a drug testing policy that would
include all Kanawha County school employees, including board members
and central office workers.

The proposal is out for public comment, after which the board will
review it again.

Anderson did not return a call to his home seeking comment on Tuesday.