The fate of two Lawrence County teachers accused of testingirregularities will be decided Oct. 4 when the district’s board oftrustees announces its decision.

The board and attorneys representing both sides are scheduled tomeet at 6 p.m. Oct. 4 at the central office in a meeting closed tothe public to conclude the case, said Superintendent RussellCaudill.

“That should be the end of it,” he said. “I’ll be glad to putthis behind us so we can concentrate more fully on the schoolyear.”

The meeting was originally scheduled for Sept. 15, Caudill said,but was postponed because of the threat of Hurricane Ivan.Attorneys on both sides live in Jackson and requested thepostponement to avoid traveling in the possible weather.

Two Rod Paige Middle School teachers are accused of helpingtheir students take the Mississippi Curriculum Test in May. The dueprocess hearing was completed in August before a hearing officer.The board has been reviewing transcripts of the hearing.

According to one school official, who preferred to stayanonymous, the teachers are accused of presenting the students withpractice problems to work the day before the tests wereadministered, and the students were allowed to take them home tocontinue practicing. Those problems were later determined to be thesame as the ones presented on the MCT.

The teachers were suspended and not rehired for the 2004-2005school year but are protesting the district’s action. They say theyare innocent.

James McCafferty, a Jackson attorney representing the teachers,said when the hearings began he would not discuss the matterbecause it was considered a personnel matter and the proceedingswere therefore confidential.