The Limestone County school board on Tuesday rescinded a newly approved teaching contract for the daughter of the superintendent because her hiring process violated state nepotism law.

The board voted to nullify Katherine Ikerman’s contract after attorneys advised board members it violated the law. She had been hired in June as a special education teacher at Johnson Elementary School.

Superintendent Dr. Tom Sisk, who is Ikerman’s father, recommended the rescission, telling board members, “I want to indicate that the intention was for someone else to make the recommendation to the board. I did not intend for it to go through my office. In fact, I tried to stay out of the process.”

He declined to comment further.

Following a lengthy executive session that was closed to the public and media, Charles Shoulders, board president, made the following statement: “(Revoking Ikerman’s contact) was a procedural matter that our attorneys advised us to go through because she is his daughter, and the superintendent should not have been involved in recommending her.”

Sisk was unaware of Alabama’s Nepotism Law when the recommendation was made, Shoulders told The News Courier.

The law (AL Act 2015-486) does not prohibit relatives from working in the same district or even the same school, but it clearly states the executive officer (in this case the superintendent) may not recommend a relative for employment to his or her board. Section 3 of the code outlines the procedures that must be followed in such cases.

The hiring process for the special education teaching position at Johnson Elementary was restarted Wednesday, Shoulders said. The position was left vacant after Christine Rubolin was pink-slipped.

“Mrs. Ikerman is still very much eligible to apply for the position,” Shoulders said. “If she applies again, and hopefully she will apply, we will come together and select a person to serve as chairman of the (hiring) committee.”

Shoulders said it is very likely the chairperson they select will come from outside the Limestone County School system, indicating board members may look to a business professional or school principal.

At the close of the meeting, Wilbert Woodruff, speaking on behalf of the Limestone County NAACP, called for Sisk to resign. A statement released by the NAACP read: “If Dr. Sisk will not step down willingly, then we are calling for the seven-member Limestone County Board of Education to terminate his contract immediately. Our decision to call for this action is in the best interest of students, parents, employees and the entire Limestone County community.”

Woodruff told the media, “This is based on numerous failed leadership responsibilities, the last and most egregious being the public defaming and unjustifiable dismissal of African-American principal of Tanner High School Mr. Louis Gordon and the recent violation of the Alabama Nepotism Law by hiring an immediate family member without following proper procedures.”

Shoulders confirmed to The News Courier Wednesday that more than a year ago the board filed a letter of reprimand against Sisk, but Shoulders said he couldn’t recall any further details.