Salt Lake City superintendent Timothy Gadson resigns

Salt Lake City Superintendent Timothy Gadson III is resigning, citing "personal reasons," nearly two months after the school board placed him on leave for unspecified reasons.

• The Salt Lake City Board of Education voted Friday during an emergency meeting to uphold a "memorandum of understanding with the superintendent" after entering mediation with Gadson.

Details: In a joint statement between the school board and Gadson, officials said it found no wrongdoing on his behalf.

• "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.”
• His resignation will take effect on Oct. 1.

Yes, but: Gadson, who became the first Black superintendent of a Utah school district last year, will remain as a consultant for the school district until the end of his contract, which is June 2023.

Between the lines: Gadson is the second superintendent in two years to resign from the controversy-ridden Salt Lake City School District.

Catch up quick: After he was placed on leave in July, Black community leaders, like NAACP Salt Lake Branch President Jeanetta Williams and board member Mohamed Baayd, alleged racial discrimination was behind it.

• The school board previously offered him a buyout worth four months of his salary, or $73,000, in exchange for his resignation, Baayd said.

Meanwhile, public criticism mounted over the school board's lack of transparency over Gadson, which cited personnel issues.

Background: In the months leading up to his leave, some Salt Lake City school teachers questioned his hiring decisions. They also alleged he did not heed to teacher concerns during a listening tour, according to emails obtained through a public records request.

• Other criticism against him centered around a school trip he took to Grand Canyon University in Arizona earlier this year.

What's next: Gadson will take time off next week, as he and the board finalize their agreement.