James Paul is the current Superintendent of Schools for the Escambia County School District, a position he has held since taking office on November 21, 2000.[1] A former Escambia High School social studies teacher, Paul, a Republican, narrowly defeated incumbent Jim May, a Democrat, amidst a budget crisis and nationwide attention to Escambia County's two chronically failing schools.
| James Paul | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Occupation | Superintendent of Schools Escambia County |
Arrest
Paul was arrested in South Florida on January 10, 2008 and charged with DUI. He was stopped after a Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputy observed his vehicle "speeding and weaving dramatically" and submitted to a breath test, which reported a 0.128 percent blood alcohol level, compared to Florida's legal limit of 0.08 percent.[2] Paul has entered a plea of not guilty and will return to Pinellas County on March 25 to be arraigned.
On February 15, 2008, Paul announced that he would not seek re-election, despite the fact that he had previously pre-filed to seek a third term in the office. Paul released the following statement by email:
| Next week I will formally notify the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections office that I will not seek a third term as Superintendent of Schools in Escambia County.
I will have no further comment on this matter. |
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References
| Preceded by: Jim May |
Escambia County Superintendent of Schools 2000 – present |
Incumbent |