Hairston reportedly to stay as Balto. Co. schools chief

Baltimore County's school superintendent has removed himself from consideration for the top schools post in Virginia Beach, Va., the school board chairman there said last night.

Joe A. Hairston, who has presided over Baltimore County schools since 2000 and was publicly identified by school board officials in Virginia Beach on Nov. 3 as the "preferred finalist" for the superintendent job, has decided to stay in Baltimore County, said Daniel D. Edwards, chairman of the Virginia Beach board.

Edwards declined to comment on Hairston's reasoning, and said he learned of Hairston's decision before the board met yesterday to consider negotiating a contract with him.

Hairston, 58, could not be reached for comment last night.

The announcement occurs after a Baltimore County school board meeting last week in which members held a closed-session meeting with Hairston. During the public part of the meeting, several county residents pleaded with the board to work hard to retain Hairston. Baltimore County school board members renewed his four-year contract last year, bringing his base salary to $239,200.

A University of Maryland Eastern Shore graduate, Hairston spent much of his career as a teacher and administrator in Prince George's County. He was the superintendent in Clayton County, Ga., from 1995 to 2000.