Richard Bishop

Richard Bishop is an educator, former principal of Tarrant High School and Hoover High School, and the current principal of Calera High School.

Bishop became assistant principal of Tarrant High School in 1994, serving for one year. He later became assistant principal at Hoover High School.

In 1998, Bishop left Hoover High to return to Tarrant High School as principal, replacing Thomas Gilbert who had resigned after two years in the position. During his tenure at Tarrant, Bishop named administrator of the year by the Alabama Student Council Association for his involvement in student activities in 2004. The highlight of his involvement was he and an assistant principal shaving their heads when the student body successfully raised $5000 for new lockers.

Bishop left education in 2004. He was manager of employee development with pharmaceutical company Axcan Pharma when he applied for the job of principal back at Hoover High. He was hired as probationary principal for one year in 2006. At the end of that contract, he would automatically become the contract principal for three years unless the school board terminated him.

In June 2007, Hoover athletics director Jerry Browning resigned after raising concerns of preferential treatment. Bishop investigated, but reported that the concerns were unfounded and provided superintendent Andy Craig the information he gathered. The school board hired attorney and retired federal judge Sam Pointer, Jr to do an independent investigation shortly thereafter. His initial report led to further investigations into Bishop's hiring. Craig later recommended that the school board not renew Bishop's contract, although he denied this was solely because of the athletics investigation.

On July 25, 2007, the Hoover school board voted not to renew principal Richard Bishop's contract after one year without providing reasons. Bishop sued for breach of contract, seeking to be reinstated and damages. Bishop's suit was unsuccessful, with Judge William Noble finding that his termination was lawful and that, despite some ambiguous wording in the contract, Bishop understood it was initially for a one-year period. Bishop filed an appeal with the Alabama Supreme Court, but later dropped it.

After his contract was not renewed, Bishop found employment outside of education. From September 2007 to April 2008, he worked for Calera Industrial Supply, selling contractors working on the new Calera High School supplies. Following that, he was a consultant for Taylor Publishing.

In June 2008, Bishop resumed his educator career when he was named principal of Calera High School.

References

• "High school principal one of board's new hires." (July 3, 1998). The Birmingham News.
• "Hair-raising reward." (April 3, 2004). The Birmingham News.
• Ford, Hunter. (August _, 2006). "Bishop named Hoover High principal." The Hoover Gazette.
• Stock, Erin and Jon Solomon. "Hoover principal: No special treatment for athletes". (June 20, 2007). Breaking News from The Birmingham News (blog).
• Stock, Erin. (July 22, 2007). "Hoover principal's contract up for renewal amid athletics probe." The Birmingham News.
• Stock, Erin and Jon Solomon. "Hoover school board dismisses principal". (July 26, 2007). Breaking News from The Birmingham News (blog).
• Solomon, Jon. (January 9, 2008). "Judge rules principal's dismissal lawful." The Birmingham News.
• Vickery, Scottie. (June 6, 2008). "Ex-Hoover principal hired." The Birmingham News .

Preceded by: Thomas Gilbert	Tarrant High Principal 1998–2004	Succeeded by: Cas McWaters
Preceded by: Sandra Spivey	Hoover High Principal 2006–2007	Succeeded by: Ken Jarnagin (interim)
Preceded by: Sandra Spivey	Calera High Principal 2008–present	Succeeded by: current