By Debbie Williams Reporter
.
Published: Fri, January 11, 2008 - 6:55 pm
Debbie Williams
Paul says he has spent most of this day on the phone, apologizing. "I did it, I suffer the consequences. The police were doing what they should be doing. I'm sorry."
He had been at a casino, "I played nickel slots ad two glasses of chardonnay, chardonnay. And at 12 or 12:30 a couple hours later I walked out to my car sat down and said I don't need to be driving and I don't need to be stopped. So I tried to doze for a couple of hours."
When he woke up he was stopped for speeding and then given a field sobriety test.
News of Paul's arrest was on just about every street corner in Pensacola and on every body's mind. Splashed across the headlines, it didn't take long for the public, to weigh in.
"Send your children to school and you have that type of example? That's pretty horrible," says Brian Barr as he reads the headline of the local newspaper. Folks like James Smith were more forgiving, "He made a mistake everybody makes mistakes." But most were just in shock, like Debbie Nichols. "You tend to hold the superintendent of schools in high esteem so it was very disappointing ."
Paul says he is ready to face the consequences legal and otherwise. "I don't, wouldn't, can't do anything different than I would for another employee."
He says he will not step down as superintendent and will run for re-election in November.
Paul has asked deputy superintendent Alan Scott to place a copy of the arrest report in his personnel file and to send the appropriate paperwork to the Professional Practices Commission in Tallahassee. Paul says he will also get counseling.
Here's the full statement released by Paul this morning:
"Today I must offer a most heartfelt apology to the employees and students of our school district, as well as the community at large, for the poor judgment I exercised that led to my arrest on driving-under-the-influence charges yesterday in Pinellas County.
I have strived for the past seven years as superintendent of our school district to exhibit the highest personal standards of conduct as an example to all district stakeholders and have expected the same of our employees and students. Obviously, my recent actions have fallen far short of that example and I quite frankly find it difficult to find the appropriate words to relate my remorse for the shame and embarrassment I have brought to my position as the school district*s chief executive and to the school district itself.
Clearly, I have disappointed a great number of people. Just as clearly, I violated state law and must now accept the consequences of my actions in the legal, personal, and professional arenas.
It is important to me that I be held personally accountable as employees have for similar transgressions and I follow the same process that any individual in our school district would face. To that end, I have instructed Dr. Alan Scott, assistant superintendent for human resources, to take the following actions:
1. A copy of the arrest report will be placed in my personnel file
2. Appropriate documentation will be filed with the Professional Practices Commission in Tallahassee for its consideration
3. I will be referred to our Employee Assistance Program for counseling
In addition, I plan to schedule meetings with student government associations in our high schools to discuss my recent experience in an effort to communicate with students in general and bring a *real life* example of the hazards of such actions.
I am proud of the accomplishments of our school district over the past seven years and am most proud of the daily performance of our teachers and staff. I apologize once again for the distraction that these recent events have caused. We have a great deal of work in front of us on a variety of fronts and I am eager to move forward with your help and place the focus of our efforts squarely where it belongs*on the achievement of our students."
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I knew Jim Paul would be speaking & confronted him after meeting. Paul sat down w/ me for 1hour. He made promises. Problems at schools got worse. Paul never returned calls. I Gave Fetsco list of 100’s parents w/ same issues. He said he’d contact them. Never did. I filed complaints w/ the state dept of edu; a few changes were forced on school. I did get letter the next yr saying; I’d be arrested if on school grounds w/out apptn. My child’s tutor & I met w/ principal. Asked reason of letter. Reply was I’d stolen papers from my child’s Cume Folder. This is False. Reply, if everything went OK this year, next school yr, rule would not apply. Paul is Horrible…especially involving children! He did lie, back his principals, disregarding, what he admitted was “horrible”. Children attending Escambia schools are suffering. He acted DRUNK in his actions I witnessed. His DUI arrest is not surprising. 2 glasses of wine is a lie! When one’s arrested, it’s Not a 1st for the crime; it’s 1st time caught.