The Scotland County Board of Education met behind closed doors Thursday night for an emergency called meeting.

School board members said they were meeting in private "for the purpose of discussing personnel and consultation with the attorney."

The entire eight-member board met with Superintendent Rick Stout, school attorney Nick Sojka, Assistant Superintendent Stuart Blount and administrative assistant Nancy Smith.

The board emerged from closed session after an hour and a half and adjourned without taking any action.

Chairman Jimmy Bennett said the board took no action behind closed doors. He declined to comment on the meeting's topic.

Other board members and Stout also declined to comment on what was discussed in closed session.

The meeting was announced to members of the media at 10:55 a.m. via email, which is when many of the board members were also told.

Called meetings typically require 48 hours notice, but emergency meetings can be held within as little as an hour.

"In general terms, what the law describes as an 'emergency meeting' occurs when circumstances make it prudent for a public body to meet and the meeting can not be scheduled to satisfy the normal 48-hour notice for a 'special meeting,'" Sojka said. "The law provides latitude to public bodies when circumstances warrant."

He declined to go into further detail on the circumstances of Thursday's meeting.

Several board members said before the meeting that they were not told what would be discussed.