LUMBERTON — Rick Watkins, a former Scotland County school administrator, has changed his mind about serving as leader of Robeson County public schools.

Watkins was offered the superintendent position at a July 28 meeting, during which the Robeson County school board voted 6-5 to offer him the job after some board members criticized him and his qualifications in open session.

Watkins declined to comment on his decision to withdraw his candidacy. He wished the board and the school system “the best.”

The board voted on Thursday to offer a three-year contract Tommy Lowry, who has been serving as interim superintendent since Johnny Hunt retired on July 1.

Lowry thanked the board and said that, although he didn’t want the job at first, he felt that “the way things seemed to be going” was reason enough to step up to the challenge.

He said that “putting his name in the hat” to become the new superintendent “was not to cause any dysfunction between the board or anything,” but to serve the children of Robeson County and to build on what other superintendents had already done in the county.

Before the votes were cast to appoint Lowry, board Chairman Mike Smith announced that Watkins had submitted a letter withdrawing his candidacy for the position.

The Robesonian newspper requested a copy of the letter, but Smith said that he could not provide one. The Robesonian has learned that the board received Watkins’ letter on Monday.

Board members Gary Strickland, Brenda Fairley-Ferebee, John Campbell, Loistine DeFreece and Jo Ann Lowery voted to hire Lowry. Bosco Locklear, who originally supported Watkins, flipped his vote in Lowry’s favor. Strickland made the motion that Lowry be offered the contract.

Steve Martin entered an unsuccessful motion to reopen the superintendent search. Board members Peggy Wilkins-Chavis, Randy Lawson, Dwayne Smith and Martin voted to continue the search.

“Mr. Chairman, I make a motion that we continue our superintendent search with the agreement of contract with the State School Board Association,” Martin said. “We have not finished that search as agreed by this board and I’d like to make a motion that we continue and not throw away $15,000 or $20,000.”

Watkins spent two years in Scotland county as an associate superintendent for Administrative Services. He also served as

an assistant principal, principal and assistant superintended for Human Resources in Richmond County.

Watkins has bee

n working at Wingate University for six years as an assistant professor of education, where he trained graduate students to be able to work in classrooms and other roles within school systems.

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By Gabrielle Isaac

[email protected]

Gabrielle can be reached at 910-816-1989 or on Twitter @news_gabbie.