Oregon Public Broadcasting

A month before the national election, a local election in Lebanon Tuesday became the latest chapter in a long-running conflict over the school system. Rob Manning explains.

A controversial restructuring at the high school and personality conflicts among board members and the superintendent have torn apart the Lebanon school district in recent years.

The pressure increased  this fall, when Superintendent Jim Robinson declared a “state of academic emergency” at Lebanon High, when barely one in three tenth graders passed state math exams.

Not long after that, school board members unanimously voted to start negotiating Superintendent Robinson’s  resignation.

At the same time, a group calling itself "Lebanon CARES" attempted to recall two school board members who had long battled with Robinson. That effort failed Tuesday, by a 2-to-1 margin.

The night before, the school board voted 4-to-1 to accept Robinson’s resignation. He’ll receive a buyout package worth at least $400,000.

The assistant superintendent is now running the district.