In 1962 Whittington became the principal of his former high school. During the 1968/69 school year, when the public schools of Somerset County desegregated, Whittington became a school administrator and wrote federal grants to try to improve the schools and to upgrade the audio and visual equipment already in existence. In 1981, he became assistant superintendent of Somerset County Schools, and in 1988 was named the first black superintendent of schools. This honor was bestowed on Whittington 34 years after he had served as gym teacher and janitor for the school.
Superintendent Whittington developed an alliance of the schools with businesses, brought in computer technology, attempted to improve test scores, and instituted an open-door policy with the community. This working relationship lasted until January 1992 when the all-white Board of Education voted 2 to 3 not to renew his contract, with no explanation. This was the first time that a Board of Education had not renewed a superintendent's contract in approximately forty years. Protests by parents and community groups were to no avail as the Board of Education refused to offer an explanation for Whittington's firing. Whittington even offered to return to his former position as gym teacher, but the Board of Education refused to grant his wish, and instead hired a long-time substitute. In the interim, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) offered him a position.
Gradually rumors began to spread and to damage his good name, so Whittington appealed to a lawyer for a redress of his grievances. On behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union, the trial began on 17 June 1996. When the verdict was rendered the Somerset County Board of Education was found guilty of discrimination. The award was "$835,000.00 and the jury stated that monetary compensation was insufficient for an act of racism" of this type. The jury further recommended that a school in Somerset County be named in Whittington's honor as a living memorial to his lifetime achievements in education.
Dr. Whittington has served on over 28 different boards at the same time. He presently serves on an advisory board to help children who do not learn well in traditional classrooms. His emphasis on education is a testament to his life work, his desire to help his county, and his commitment to the time-worn values he was taught as a child.
Sources
Baltimore Sun 9 February 1997: 1J, 4J. (Salisbury) Daily Tunes (February 1997). WBOC and WMDT Network Coverage, 1992-1997. Community Meetings, 1992-1997.
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