MADISON COUNTY, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Madison County students and parents are protesting the firing of Velma Jackson’s former band director.

On Wednesday, Yahya Muhammad met with Madison County School District officials at their Ridgeland office for a hearing to determine what some believe is a wrongful termination.

Velma Jackson Principal Perry Green said Muhammad did not follow proper procedure and did not meet the minimum requirements of an employee improvement plan. He was the band director for two schools within the district and did not have an assistant to help with tasks.

Some parents believe there’s tension within the current administration.

“It is my prayer that I’m hoping that cooler heads prevail, that we’re able to really come together and be concerned about our children. Put aside any pettiness that we may have going on and just work together. I’m hoping that they form a work group after school. I’ve already made some suggestions already to the superintendent. I think that even from an employee survey, which is with the teachers, to make sure that they are, you know, we want to make sure that we keep good quality teachers that care about our students,” said Dr. Paul Fleming, a concerned parent and Velma Jackson alum.

The Madison County School District sent a statement to WJTV 12 News that said, “Our district follows the provisions of the School Employment Procedures Act and other policies related to employment outlined in our faculty and staff handbook. While we cannot comment on specific personnel matters, Madison County Schools is committed to fairly and appropriately carrying out procedures related to employment in our district.”

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