A former Franklin County teacher whose daily classroom prayerscaused turmoil in her professional life is headed toward anunchallenged victory in the race for the local school board.

Meadville’s Alice Hawley, 55, will become the District Tworepresentative on the Franklin County School Board next year afterrunning unopposed in this year’s general election on Nov. 2. BillScott, the 18-year incumbent, is not seeking re-election, and noother candidates qualified for the race by the deadline lastFriday.

“I guess if I live that long I’ll be the next District Two boardmember,” Hawley said. “I believe God opened this door and I believeHe’ll use me as a board member.”

As a board member, Hawley said her main focus would be trying toguarantee teachers’ jobs, a sore subject in Franklin County afterseveral educators have been let go due to funding reductions. Shewants to trade out some jobs at the district level she feels areunnecessary.

“There’s just some things that need to be straightened up from ateacher’s point of view,” she said. “There are some positions Ifeel like we could probably combine with other positions. There’s adirector of this, director of that … I don’t see why their jobscouldn’t be combined.”

Hawley also wants to move the board’s bi-monthly meeting to a latertime. Currently, the board meets at 4 p.m. on the first and thirdTuesday of every month.

“So people who work can be there,” she said about a move to latertime.

Hawley’s apparent cruise to victory this fall follows a tumultuoussummer that saw her fired and rehired in less than a day, and onethat ultimately produced her resignation – all because of herinsistence of starting each class meeting with Christianprayer.

Superintendent Dr. Grady Fleming gave Hawley notice her contractwith the district would not be renewed at the end of the schoolyear in May, with reasons for the termination stated as “continuedand regular leading of your students in prayer during class” and”insubordination by failure to stop having class prayer after beingtold to stop.”

The notice was withdrawn the next morning, however, after thedistrict could produce no evidence Hawley had been asked to ceasethe prayers, meaning she could not be guilty ofinsubordination.

Hawley stayed on the payroll throughout the summer but neverreturned to a classroom, forcing the school board to accept herresignation last month before class began. Fearing a renewedattempt to charge her with insubordination and unwilling to end herclassroom prayers, she requested and was granted a release from hercontract to preempt a possible firing.

Hawley said Wednesday her decision to quit was meant to protect notonly her but the district as well.

“I don’t want the (American Civil Liberties Union) down here atFranklin County or some of these other schools that can stillpray,” she said. “We don’t need that attention. That’s why Istepped down.”

Local sentiment has strongly supported Hawley throughout the entireordeal. At least one board member and several members of thecommunity alluded to dissatisfaction with Fleming’s handling of theaffair, and Hawley accused the superintendent of gunning for herjob.

Fleming said Wednesday his conflict with Hawley is in the past andhe welcomes her to the school board.

“I truly believe we can work together. She has the district’s bestinterests at heart,” he said. “All that is past and we’re movingon.”

As for Scott, he’s leaving the board a happy man.

“I’m finishing up my third term. My kids have graduated college,”he said. “I’ve been telling people for two years I’m not running. Iwish ’em the best.”

Hawley, meanwhile, will continue to wear her religion on her sleeveas a board member.

“Maybe they’ll ask me to pray,” she said.