Iris T. Metts, formerly Delaware's secretary of education, becomes the first woman to take on the job as superintendent of Prince George's County Public Schools.

August 2000

The county's Board of Education rejects an attempt to award Metts' deputies bonuses. Board members force her to sit across from them instead of alongside during board meetings -- a symbolic move to show who's in charge. Metts threatens to quit.

November 2000

Prince George's County Public Schools scores in the MSPAP show no progress. Only 31 percent of the county's pupils achieved a satisfactory score or better.

June 2001

School board threatens to sue Metts' top three aides after it found Metts gave them $35,000 in bonuses without the board's approval. They settled the matter and let the aides keep the money after Metts agreed to forfeit her $30,000 bonus and apologize for the "miscommunication" with the board.

July 2001

The board approves plan to make Forestville High School into a military academy, where students would take military courses and wear uniforms.

August 2001

School board gives Metts a negative evaluation during a weekend retreat in Baltimore. Four of nine members of the board voted to terminate Metts' contract but failed to get a majority vote.

September 2001

Prince George's County average SAT scores show no improvement and remain below the national average.

November 2001

The heads of the county state legislative delegations say they would not be happy if school board members voted to fire Metts during their retreat in December. They did not.

County residents voiced vociferous opposition to legislative plans to restructure the school board during an emotional pubic hearing before the House Delegation County Affairs Committee in Riverdale.

December 2001

Metts draws the ire of board members after she declined to support them in their opposition to proposed state legislation aimed at eliminating the elected board.

Jan. 24, 2002

School board restricts Metts' ability to sign contracts over $5,000. Metts claims the restriction will shut down the school system.

Jan. 28, 2002

County MSPAP scores drop for second year. Only 28 percent of county pupils achieve a satisfactory score.

Saturday

School Board voted 6 to 3 to fire Metts after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a buyout of her four-year contract.

Sunday

Prince George's County Circuit Court Judge William D. Missouri rules the firing improper, saying that the board violated Metts' contract by not giving her 45 days' notice and by not consulting state Superintendent Nancy Grasmick on the dismissal.

Monday

The Prince George's County Delegation to the state House of Delegates votes 15-3 to create an executive committee of the Management Oversight Panel to run the day-to-day operations of the county school system, effectively stripping the Prince George's County Board of Education of its power. Management Oversight Panel asks the state Board of Education to remove the six school board members who voted to fire Metts from office for violating state law.