Mississippi News Nonprofits The Coahoma County Board of Trustees voted on March 27th to remove Xandra Brooks Keys, the then-superintendent. This decision only cost the school district $89761.29. Brooks-Keys requested back pay with interest from the Coahoma Chancery Court for the almost 10 months between her termination and Dec. 18’s administrative hearing. Brooks-Keys is fighting to be reinstated in her position as superintendent of Coahoma County Schools District. Brooks-Keys will present her oral argument regarding wrongful termination to the judge in the next 90 days. Brooks-Keys stated in her contract that she would not be dismissed from her job unless there was a finding of gross negligence, malfeasance or commission of crime. Samuel Begley, Brooks-Keys lawyer, said that there are times when you have to fire people. Nathaniel Armistad, school board attorney, and Dr. Ilean Ricks, Interim Superintendent, did not respond to inquiries for comment. Mississippi Today has obtained a large collection of court documents and emails that provide a detailed look into the case and the conflicts that have made it drag on for more than a year. Brooks-Keys was sent a five-day suspension in January 2018. Begley asked that Begley’s suspension hearing be made public and that the five school board members be examined under oath by him. Begley also opposed the two hearing officers proposed by the Board due to pre-existing friendships she has with the Board’s lawyer. Brooks-Keys hearing was delayed for two months because not all five Board members were available simultaneously. The school board met on March 27 and all five members converted the suspension into a termination. Her termination was based on the same reasons as her initial suspension. Brooks-Keys also disclosed to the school board that she had a list she wouldn’t speak with parents. Brooks-Keys stated that at least one of the parents on her list had threatened her physical violence. The board refers to an incident in which two teachers from the district got into a fight over social media. Brooks-Keys presented the recommendation of a school principal to suspend one of the involved teachers for a day. Brooks Keys accepted it and presented it to the school board. The school board rejected the recommendation, arguing that it would not be fair to only discipline one of the involved teachers. Brooks-Keys stated that she was usually out of her office taking care school business or meeting with MDE Jackson. She began to notify the board by email when she was away, after being made aware that it was an issue. Larry Neal Haynes (an ex-board member) claims that she was suspended for three weeks after the original suspension was lifted. Concerning the failure to establish an alternative school, the $96,000 annual contract that was previously signed with West Tallahatchie Schools District to use their alternate school. Brooks-Keys was instructed by the Board to create an in-district plan to establish an alternative school. This was due to concerns about long commute times and a lack of teachers in West Tallahatchie. Brooks-Keys submitted a plan that had an estimated cost in excess of $200,000 one month later. The board rejected it.