Lee McFerren foremrly served as principal of Central Elementary in Franklin.

Former Franklin school district administrator Lee V. McFerren was fired Monday as principal of Farrell High School.

By a vote of 7 to 2, the Farrell Area School Board approved a motion to terminate McFerren's tenure with the district, a three-year tenure that, according to the motion, was marked by "persistent negligence in the performance of duties, persistent willful violation of the school code, immorality, in accordance with the school code, and intemperance, in accordance with the school code," the Sharon Herald reported Tuesday.

The vote follows a process that began with McFerren's suspension without pay on Feb. 7 and a required due process hearing that covered two days in March and three days in May. At McFerren's request the hearing was open to the public.

A large crowd of people, many of them supporters of McFerren, turned out Monday to hear the school board's verdict, and McFerren thanked the community for its support after the vote, the newspaper reported.

McFerren said his goal as principal was to make education rather than athletics the high school's top priority, a goal that failed to win favor with the staff.

McFerren and his attorney, Barbara Seman Ochs, intend to appeal the board's decision to the state Department of Education, according to The Sharon Herald.

McFerren served for two years as principal at Central Elementary before leaving abruptly in August 2005 for the $82,500 job with the Farrell Area School District.

During his time at Central, McFerren initiated a controversial dress code that he argued would improve the school's image, reduce discipline problems and promote academic achievement. The school district has significantly relaxed the uniform dress code over the past few years.