Jackson Free Press

The State Board of Education replaced interim state superintendent Judy Rhodes yesterday, following a legal opinion from the Attorney General's office that found her technically unqualified for the position. Because she has not earned a Master's degree, Rhodes is ineligible for the interim position, according to minimum qualifications established by the state Legislature, Assistant Attorney General Reese Partridge found.

"Judy's been with the Department and knows the Department so well, we just assumed it was not a qualification problem," Board Chairman Bill Jones said. "It was just a no-brainer for Judy to withdraw, under the circumstances."

The Board had picked Rhodes, a former deputy superintendent, on June 8 to fill in for Hank Bounds, who is departing to become the state's commission for higher education. In Rhodes' place, the Board settled on John Jordan, who also served as deputy state superintendent, from 2002 to 2005. Jordan was superintendent of the Oxford School District from 1994 to 2002 and is currently working as a consultant.

"John did a very excellent job with the Oxford School District. He's a very good academician, and he really knows his stuff," Jones said. "The staff knows him; he knows the staff. He was just a good consensus candidate."

Jordan is out of state and did not immediately return a call for comment.