Birmingham Superintendent Mark Sullivan denied an allegation that he was in an “inappropriate relationship” with a school board member Thursday, and has retained a lawyer to defend against what he calls a “troubling misinformation campaign.”

Birmingham resident David Perry spoke during the public comment portion of a Feb. 28 school board meeting, asking board members to investigate allegations that Sullivan is having an inappropriate relationship with an unnamed board member.

Perry is the father of an Avondale Elementary School student. He claimed that rumors about Sullivan’s private life are distracting the board from dealing with pressing issues in the school system.

“If the reports are true,” Perry said to board members, “it’s a violation of the board code of conduct. If the reports are false, then the reputation of our superintendent and a board member have been unfairly tarnished and deserve to be repaired for the good of the system and the good of the city.”

Perry said he hadn’t personally confirmed those reports.

Asked by a reporter to identify the board member allegedly in a relationship with Sullivan, Perry declined to name anyone specifically.

Sullivan, a longtime employee of the school district, was named interim superintendent in April 2020. The role became permanent in August 2020.

Asked specifically by AL.com whether he was dating a school board member, Sullivan said, through a spokeswoman, “I do not make it a practice to respond to rumors that have no bearing on the work of Birmingham City Schools. However, in the interest of ending this diversion, I will confirm there is no dating relationship involving me and school board member Sonja Smith.”

Sonja Smith, who has been a board member since 2017 and represents parts of west Birmingham, through a spokeswoman for the school district, said, “There is not a dating relationship between me and Superintendent Dr. Mark Sullivan.”

Other school board members contacted by AL.com declined to comment.

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Alabama Association of School Boards Director Sally Smith said there is no legal prohibition against a board member and a superintendent having a relationship, though it may not be advisable.

“If I had been asked my opinion on whether to start a dating relationship,” she said, “I would suggest someone not mix personal with professional.”

In response to questions from AL.com, Birmingham schools’ legal counsel said they reviewed state laws, policy and contractual obligations and said if the two were having a relationship, “there is no violation of any of the above.”

On Wednesday, AL.com learned Sullivan has retained an attorney to defend against allegations of impropriety.

In a letter dated Feb. 28 and addressed to Afrika Parchman, the board’s general counsel, and reviewed by AL.com, attorney Charles McCallum claimed an unnamed board member is working with a community group to discredit Sullivan.

“Dr. Sullivan has dedicated his life to education and has an impeccable reputation for service, candor and integrity,” McCallum wrote. “In return, Dr. Sullivan hopes for the same attributes from his superiors and asks for only complete transparency and openness.”

“It has come to Dr. Sullivan’s attention, based upon reliable information, that a board member has been in contact with a community group whose mission appears to be to discredit him,” McCallum wrote.

“This has led that particular board member to privately inquire into Dr. Sullivan’s personnel file and share its contents, outside of accepted channels, back to the group seeking to impugn Dr. Sullivan.” McCallum declined to name the board member or the group.

McCallum said Sullivan had nothing to hide and recognized his personnel file was available for public review, but did not appreciate an “unprofessional” action that “undermines trust.”

Perry denied being part of any group trying to discredit Sullivan and said he had not received any information from Sullivan’s personnel file.

“What I’m hearing from all over the community is that the board has become paralyzed by their inability to deal with this issue,” he said.

District officials told AL.com the entire board of education had received Sullivan’s and Smith’s responses to reporter’s inquiries.

The Board of Education’s next regular scheduled meeting is March 28.