In a flip-flop motion, the Columbus Municipal School District Board of Trustees Monday killed a motion to approve superintendent Dr. Martha Liddell’s 2012/2013 school calendar, which thereby killed Liddell’s proposal for an early release program. The motion died on the table without a second from a board member. But immediately after an executive session, board member Aubra Turner made a motion on the school calendar and it passed on a 3-1-1 vote. This was Liddell’s first action in front of the board as the district’s newly hired superintendent.
Liddell, who signed her superintendent contract with the district Monday night, delivered her presentation to the board on the early release proposal as an early agenda item. She said she felt it was the right thing to do to help get the school off of academic watch.
“We have been on academic watch for two years now,” Liddell said. “I know our students can do better. We were an early release school for several years. We want to know early that this process is under way so that they can be making arrangements early.”
Under Liddell’s plan, students in the CMSD will be released at 12:45 p.m. on Wednesdays while teachers would stay until 3:30 p.m. for training and staff development. The school day for elementary and middle school students will be extended from 2:25 p.m. until 3 p.m. High school students will be dismissed at 3:45 on days other than Wednesdays.
The proposal met some criticism from Lori Pierce, a parent and a teacher at Mississippi School for Math and Science.
“I don’t have an opinion on whether or not this is a good idea,” Pierce said. “I think the idea has been rushed without a lot of input. It’s a big change. We have concerns about how it’s going to be implemented. Our primary concern is what is best for our children. We as teachers and parents feel left out of this process. We just want to be included.”
“Do we need to meet with the parents and the stake-holders in this school district to get their input?” board member Glenn Lautzenhiser asked.
Liddell assured Pierce and Lautzenhiser the concerns of parents were considered and she promised the district would help facilitate the changes.
“Our plan coincides with the one implemented by the Lowndes County School District,” Liddell said. “We have looked at the research and we feel that this is what’s best for our students. But we will do anything we can to help the parents by providing them information early, and we will assist parents who need it by dropping their children off at daycare centers, The Boys and Girls Club or any other destination they specify on Wednesdays. Passing this tonight will put us on the map for success.”
Currie Fisher made a motion for the board to accept Liddell’s proposed school calendar. It died when no one seconded the motion.
After an hour-long executive session, board president Tommy Prude said the board had approved Liddell’s contract and had refused to accept a bid for the purchase of Lee Middle School. Prude did not divulge any information regarding who bid on the property and the proposed price for the land.
Turner asked board attorney David Dunn if she could bring up the school calendar again and Dunn replied in the affirmative.
Turner motioned for the board to accept the calendar and she received a second from Fisher. Newly appointed board member Jason Spears objected to the motion.
“I’ve been very straightforward about this from the beginning,” Spears angrily said. “We can’t backtrack. We can’t not do something when the parents are here and then backpedal and do something else. This is not fair. This is the same type of clandestine activities we should not be a part of. This board can not continue to do things in this manner. I think we should table this until July and allow the parents and other members of the community a chance to participate in this.”
Lautzenhiser also questioned the necessity of immediately passing the calendar.
“My concern is that the parents and the stake holders were not given an opportunity to have input,” he said. “I think we gave people the impression we took no action on the school calendar. Voting on it now could affect our integrity and our perception to the public.”
Liddell said although the matter could wait, she wanted to get it approved by the state and use it as the basis for the upcoming handbook.
“I sent out a letter about this, and I did not have any responses,” Liddell said. “I don’t have a problem with the parents expressing their views. But just because some people don’t like it, doesn’t mean it’s not what is best for the children. Board, please keep in mind that in 2014, we are going to an assessment curriculum that could crash this district. I’m telling you, if we don’t improve our teacher training quality, we will be failing as a school district. Let’s not make this about whether or not Martha Liddell needs to be superintendent. I’m just asking the board to have the courage to do what is right for our children.”
Immediately before the vote, Fisher chastised Spears for his remarks.
“I’m offended by your remarks, Jason,” said Fisher. “Everything we have done as a board has been open and transparent. What you said was offensive.”
Turner, Fisher and Prude voted for the calendar. Spears voted against the motion and Lautzenhiser verbally abstained from the vote.
After the vote Prude also took an opportunity to publicly scold Spears.
“Every one of us will have the opportunity to be the president of the board,” Prude said. “But until then, only the president shall speak for this board.”
About two hours after the meeting, Liddell sent an email to teachers and principals in the district to explain the board’s actions, stating it was her, not Turner, who brought the discussion back before the board.
“I respect the parent that spoke tonight and all the community members who came out to the meeting to hear actions on the agenda tonight,” the letter stated. “After we returned from executive session tonight, I provided additional discussion to the board as to why I believe our school district is on ‘Academic Watch’ and why I believe leaders have a responsibility to do something about it, even if it means doing some things differently. I explained how re-instating early release Wednesdays will give us the dedicated professional development time principals and teachers need for systemic professional development. My intention was not to hide anything from our parents and community. I was prepared to discuss the matter in more detail after executive session for the same number of persons present before executive session that had been present earlier. The future achievement of our school district is at stake. As much as I would have liked to take the easy way out tonight, my commitment to students made me advocate for them even harder. They deserve our best. The question was asked why parents weren’t allowed to have input on the process in which I replied my experience as an assistant superintendent with the Success Calendar process a few years ago confirmed that, regardless sometimes of the input mechanisms districts make available for the community, it doesn’t always work in the best interest of students.”
The details of Liddell’s contract were not available at press time.
Read more: Our view: A crummy way to do business for the CMSD
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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