Richland 2 paid more than $600K to former superintendent Baron Davis after he resigned

The Richland 2 school district paid its former superintendent Baron Davis $615,000 after he abruptly resigned in January following a six-hour, closed-door school board meeting. The board unanimously voted to accept the resignation.

A settlement agreement with Davis provided a lump sum of $415,518.68, along with $124,481.32 for accrued sick days and vacation leave and another $75,000 for “all disputed claims,” which is not further defined in the agreement.

The district will also reimburse Davis for any expenses related to assisting the district with pending or future litigation.

In the settlement, Davis and the board of trustees also mutually agreed to not make disparaging comment about each other or the district.

The board authorized board chair Lindsay Agostini to execute the agreement with Davis in January, after it was reviewed in executive session.

Davis, the district’s first Black superintendent, had served in the role since 2017. Last fall, his contract was extended until 2026, only months before his departure. He was paid an annual salary of $254,681 as of his most recent contract.