Jackson, TN (April 6, 2020) – Monday night the Jackson-Madison County School Board held their April work session meeting. Due to the COVID-19 virus and national, state, and local emergency declarations, and the “Shelter at Home” order from Jackson City Mayor Scott Conger and Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris, board members chose to meet in teleconference. Public viewing of the meeting was available through JEA E+ TV six broadcast. Due to the teleconference public comments were eliminated on a crucial decision-making night.
Among the items on the agenda was discussion regarding the search for a superintendent to fill the position currently held by Ray Washington.
Jim Campbell told fellow board members that he would like to put on the table for discussion postponing a decision on a superintendent. Campbell cited several reasons for the postponement including: the limited opportunity board members have had to interview the three finalists, travel restrictions which made it unsafe for board members to do adequate site search, and the current climate created by the coronavirus which has closed schools and disrupted delivery of local education to students.
Board member Carol Carter-Estes McCreight countered the remarks by Campbell saying that the board had had plenty of opportunities to delay the search and that “life goes on” despite viruses. Doris Black, Janice Hampton, and Shannon Stewart also all favored moving ahead. Stewart said that she had only heard from two of her constituents and both asked her to postpone the decision, but she said they couldn’t give her a reason why. Board chairman “Pete“ Johnson also said that he was ready to make a decision. AJ Massey was the only other board member to raise concerns about making a decision under the current circumstances and cited the importance of transparency and getting feedback from the community.
There will be a Thursday night board meeting and on the agenda is the discussion and selection of a superintendent, and discussion of a contract for a K-8 school.
The Thursday night meeting will also be held as a teleconference meeting and the public is again prohibited from attending.
keith sherley
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