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MOSS POINT, Mississippi — Former Parker High School Principal Spurgeon Banyard, who spoke out against Birmingham city schools after being fired last year, was fired this week from his job in Moss Point, Miss.

He became principal of Moss Point High School in June 2010, after his contract was non­renewed by the Birming­ham Board of Education because of budget cuts. Af­ter his firing at Parker, stu­dents and parents filled board meetings begging the board to reconsider, saying Banyard was the best thing to happen to the school in years.

At the time, Banyard said he felt Birmingham Superintendent Craig Witherspoon was retaliat­ing against him because he was doing such a good job.

“There is no doubt he was threatened by me,” Banyard said in a telephone inter­view Wednesday. The story is much the same in Mississippi, he said.

“This is an embarrassing retaliation by the superintendent, who is on his way out the door,” Banyard said of Moss Point Superintendent Kim Staley, who is leaving June 30. “He knows I could take his job and he feels threatened.”

Banyard’s firing follows an investigation by the Mississippi Department of Education, which found testing and document irregularities in the district that could lead to loss of accreditation.

“They’re trying to blame that on me, and that’s not right,” Banyard said. “I’m a professional and I would not do anything to mess up my career.”

At a Moss Point school board meeting this week, parents and students flooded the room and expressed support for Banyard, saying he had restored order to a school that has had past problems with misbehavior and rowdiness, The Mississippi Press reports.

Join the conversation, add a comment or email: mleech@bhamnews.com

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