At the March 11 school board working session, I was pleased to see a more detailed presentation by Ms. Erin Robinson, Executive Director of Human Resources and Title IX Coordinator, regarding the current resizing of our Fayette County public school system.
She informed the board, that “affected employees” were notified, and she felt that most if not all certified teachers would find placement in Fayette County.
To be clear, in the recent past several employees were told they were “surplus” and their job in their current school was eliminated. Now, several have already been placed within the system, one being moved to replace my wife who is retiring. At this writing, “less than ten” are still awaiting a spot.
Some have asked if I thought this system downsizing is a ploy to get the public to rescind the 3% property tax homestead exemption recently voted in by we taxpayers. I hope not.
While I have great respect for many of our FCBOE leaders and staff, in this case, any efforts they have taken on behalf of the children of our schools and the taxpayers in general has been cloaked in unnecessary vagueness and lost in an outward lack of empathy and urgency.
While downsizing is never easy, its important that our school system be transparent in its plans and empathetic in its actions. These events are no longer hypothetical, and the public must be clearly informed. We need to know which schools will have less and where will it be less.
Many would like to know of the 70 or so position reductions, how many were at the school level and how many at the central office? Reasonable people would hope that our administration has prioritized the classroom over back-office functions and administrative positions. We do not need to hear the words, but rather see the facts.
It is fair to see what questions were asked and which processes were considered to be automated, streamlined, and possibly eliminated from the…
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