A Niles school administrator has been placed on paid suspension while the state’s Teacher Tenure Commission investigates charges made against her.

In a unanimous vote Monday, the Niles Community Schools Board of Education decided to formally pursue tenure charges against Amy Scott, the district’s director of curriculum and instruction.

Scott remains on paid suspension pending the outcome of an investigation of the charges, which were not made available to the press due to attorney client privileged information.

The Niles Daily Star filed a Freedom of Information Act request Tuesday seeking the charges made against Scott.

Interim Supt. Michael Lindley said the charges would be released in five days unless Scott’s legal counsel obtains a court order preventing the district from doing so.

“That’s the only thing that can stop a FOIA request,” he said.

The unanimous vote by Jeff Curry, Greg O’Toole, Kathy Zeider, Dana Daniels and Jon Martin — with Mark Wortham absent — came after a closed session to discuss a personnel issue. Scott and her attorney were present in the closed session and during the board’s vote.

Scott declined to comment.

In this matter, Lindley said board members essentially acted like a grand jury in that they were presented a summary of the charges and, based on that summary, determined there was enough information to allow an administrative law judge to hear the case. That took place Monday.

“The board has not said that Amy is guilty or innocent of anything,” Lindley said. “They have simply said that based upon the evidence, we think there’s enough to proceed to the legal process established in the state of Michigan for this type of incident.”

The next step, Lindley said, would be for an administrative law judge with the state teacher tenure commission to set a hearing. Then, based on the facts presented, the judge will make a ruling.

If guilty, Scott would be discharged.