ALANSON, MI -- Should he stay, or should he go?

A veteran teacher in Alanson was placed on administrative leave in January.

Now, former students and community members are fighting for his job.    

Paul Arkison has been in the Alanson School District for more than 18 years.

He tells 7&4 he was put on leave for performing inadequately as a teacher and not getting along with the administration.

But Arkison's supporters say not so fast.

"It's a good school, it really is, and I want to be a part of it again," said Arkison.

It has been a rocky month for Paul Arkison.  He's been teaching at Alanson schools for 18 years.  Last month school leaders placed him on paid administrative leave and now, his fate rests in the hands of the state tenure review board.

"I do not perform adequately as a teacher, and I apparently don't get along well with the administration, so that's essentially the reason," is what Arkison said was the explanation he received for being put on administrative leave.

"I just couldn't fathom this was happening to such a great teacher," said Chandlar Kiogima.

"Everybody who has had a class with Paul, it's completely out of character," said former student Jesse Raleigh.

Alanson School Board's decision doesn't sit well with the people who have worked face-to-face with Mr. Arkison.  Jesse Raleigh graduated in 2001 and says the board making the determination on adequate performance makes him scratch his head.

"The number of people who are proficient in his classes is twice any other teacher in that school," said Raleigh.

And Chandlar Kiogima, who graduated last year, said this:

"He's a loved teacher, he's a great teacher, I use his stuff for college still."

Kiogima, she's the 2010 valedictorian.  Both of the former students feel there's an injustice somewhere down the line and because of this, they've rallied the troops.  A website, peopleforpaul.org has been created, and a former student, who is serving in Afghanistan, began a Facebook page of support.

"The silver lining in this is the sheer number of people who have come out and said you have made a difference in my life, you helped me, you made me a better person," said Arkison.

7&4 contacted Alanson schools and a spokesperson there told me they have no comment and it's a personnel issue.

At this point, there is no date set for the tenure board to review Arkison's case.