Pubdate: Fri, 13 Feb 2004 Source: Huntsville Times (AL) Copyright: 2004 The Huntsville Times Contact: http://www.htimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/730 Author: Challen Stephens and Wendy Reeves Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) LEE PRINCIPAL RESIGNS AFTER COCAINE ARREST Students, Parents Stunned; 'He Was Doing A Great Job' Less than two hours after being charged Thursday afternoon with possession of cocaine, Harry Smith resigned as principal of Lee High School in northeast Huntsville. Smith, 49, was released from the Huntsville-Madison County Jail on a $10,500 bond. "He was doing a great job. He got the school going," said PTA President Brian Lombardino. "When he got here the school was way down. In two years, he gave it a new face." Smith, who took charge of Lee in the summer of 2002, was charged at 3:46 p.m. Thursday during a traffic stop at U.S. 72 East and Mastin Lake Road. The arrest followed a two-month investigation by the sheriff's Vice and Narcotics Unit, said Sgt. Mike Bertus, head of the unit. Bertus said there was no evidence Smith had illegal drugs on the school's campus. No one was with him when officers stopped his vehicle on Thursday. When arrested, officers said, Smith had what appeared to be seven to nine rocks of crack cocaine in his possession. By 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Smith had called Superintendent Ann Roy Moore from jail to resign. Standing in front of Lee this morning, Moore said the students have been calm. She had already appointed assistant principal Andrew Fuller to acting principal. She also brought extra counselors to school, although no students requested their services first thing. Moore said most parents have approached her to say Smith did a great job. "He's been a great leader for the school, so they're sad," said Moore, who was accompanied at Lee this morning by the system head of security, several top administrators, two school board members and the system's new spokeswoman, Barbara Nash. The school was to hold assemblies to relay the news to all students this morning, Nash said. "I couldn't believe it," said Chris Pape, senior class president. "I'm not one to be without words. I was speechless. It's kind of like a nightmare." Pape, who said he got to know Smith and meet his family, said Smith improved student behavior at the school. "He was always nice, even when punishing people," said Pape. "He was always smiling." As students entered, talk went to the news. As office aides asked one another how they first learned of the arrest on TV, one student simply answered: "Famous." Smith, a native of Florence, replaced former Principal James Embry. The school board removed Embry after two years at Lee. Moore said Embry agreed to return to Westlawn Middle School, where he had served before. Smith signed a two-year probationary contract worth $85,000 a year. Moore said it will take time to consider possible replacements for Smith. "I think it's shocking and unfortunate," said board member Doug Martinson Jr., who represents the school. "Lee High School is strong and will remain strong. Hopefully the students will learn a valuable lesson about how devastating drug use can be." Lombardino said he's been fielding calls from others parents since the news broke. They want to know why this happened, he said, because Smith was well regarded for improving the atmosphere at Lee. "Sometimes a situation eats at a person. They make great strides, but the outer pressure gets them," said Lombardino. "But we don't even know if this is true." Then he added: "Lee High School is not just Doctor Smith." A graduate of the University of North Alabama, Smith began teaching math at Muscle Shoals High in 1975. He later served as the principal of Muscle Shoals High for 13 years. He also served for many years as a minister in the Church of Christ. Smith also taught math in Florence, worked as director of the Christian Student Center at UNA from 1980 to 1983 and worked briefly as an assistant principal in Muscle Shoals. Smith graduated as valedictorian of Mars Hill Bible School in 1972. He and his wife, Joy, have two children in college. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin