SLC school board names interim superintendent
Oct 4, 2022, 7:22 PM | Updated: 7:27 pm
Outgoing Granite School District Superintendent Martin W. Bates speaks during a school board meeting at the district's offices in South Salt Lake on Monday, April 26, 2021. On Monday, the board named Richard Nye, currently the superintendent of the Ogden School District, as Granite's next superintendent. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City School District has a new interim superintendent after the previous leader resigned after approximately one year in the position.
The city’s board of education said Tuesday evening it is looking to hire a new superintendent while Dr. Martin W. Bates works in the interim role.
Bates replaces Dr. Timothy Gadson who was placed on administrative leave on July 12 and resigned Sept. 23. The board agreed to accept his resignation and asked him to remain as a consultant through the term of his contract. In a statement the city’s board of education previously said:
“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.”
One board member, Mohamed Baayd, claimed Gadson faced racial harassment and was pushed out.
“The systemic racism and the institutional racism we have within our district, unfortunately, was not ready to receive a Black leader who can actually lead a district in a different direction,” Baayd said in an interview with KSL TV and KSL NewsRadio.
Tuesday’s vote to appoint Bates was unanimous.
Bates spent more than 30 years in education according a release from the board. He retired in 2021 after 11 years as the superintendent of the Granite School District. He was initially a special education and math teacher and attended Highland High School. His eight children are graduates of the Salt Lake City School District.
