The Selma City School Board, by the slimmest of margins and not without a lengthy, heated and public discussion, renewed Selma High School principal Wanda McCall’s contract Tuesday.

During the special called meeting, primarily to deal with McCall’s contract, the board approved a new, but yet unwritten, three-year contract that is set to begin July 1.

But, it was superintendent of education Donald Jefferson who made the recommendation to the board that McCall’s contract not be renewed, thus terminating her at the end of the current contract.

At the heart of Jefferson’s recommendation was the fact Selma High School has failed to meet state-mandated Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in recent years and the school is again expected to fall short of the AYP goals this year.

“The decision by the board lowers the expectations of the vision I have for moving this school system forward,” Jefferson said following the meeting. “Needless to say, I am disappointed.”

McCall, who was obviously pleased with the board’s decision, said she felt the superintendent’s recommendation was unfair.

“I feel as if I was singled out,” McCall said. “I don’t see how you can hold one principal accountable. I work day and night to push our children.”

Following the vote, which saw board members Frank Chestnut, Brenda Obomanu and Udo Ufamado vote to renew the contract, board president Henry Hicks said the board had set a dangerous precedent.

“I just want each of you to know what you have done here tonight,” Hicks, who voted against the contract renewal along with board member Holland Powell, said. “You have said that not meeting the minimum standards is OK. And, that is a dangerous standard to set.”

In supporting McCall, Obomanu said even though the school has failed to meet the minimum standards, improvements are being made.

“Progress is being made,” Obomanu said. “The AYP scores have gone up each of the last three years. Progress is being made.”

McCall, following the meeting, also touted some improvements.

“We have made a lot of progress in discipline,” McCall said. “I spend a lot of time visiting teachers and classrooms to make sure they are doing the right thing.”

But for Jefferson, having a public vote on the contract was important.

“I wanted the board members to vote. I wanted them to vote their convictions,” Jefferson said. “And, as you saw tonight, you saw what some of our board members value as being effective education.”

Jefferson will now work to structure the new contract for McCall, which he said will be different than the one she is finishing.

“There will be some modifications and changes,” Jefferson said. “It doesn’t matter. Effective education is obviously not at the forefront because if it was, then there would have been a different decision tonight.”

Times-Journal news editor Rick Couch contributed to this report.