Oneida School Board Meeting Gets Raucous
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Oneida School Board Meeting Gets Raucous
The Oneida Special School District met last week and community disappointment over recent staffing cuts escalated the meeting into harsh exchanges between members. Pictured, L-R, Mark Matthews, Dorothy Watson, Danny Cross, Nancy Williamson, Director of Schools Dr. Jeanny Phillips, Kevin Byrd, and Board Secretary Katie Johnson.
By Shane Gilreath
SCN Contributing Editor
[email protected]
Community frustration over recent staffing cuts surfaced during a meeting of the Oneida Special School District, as board members questioned how affected employees were notified and whether the district’s decision-making process was sufficiently transparent. As the board prepared to adjourn, member Kevin Byrd interrupted a motion made by the Board Chair, Dr. Nancy Williamson, to address concerns about employees who recently received separation letters.
“We had separation letters go out, and we are aware that cuts happen,” Byrd said. While acknowledging that staffing reductions are sometimes necessary, Byrd expressed concern that those receiving the letters were notified without prior discussion. He suggested the process lacked empathy and called for a fair assessment that clearly explained why individual employees were selected for dismissal.
“I hope that has happened,” Byrd said, “but these people, no one has looked them in the eye and said, ‘you’re not coming back next year.’”
Byrd went on to say that he had spoken with several affected employees and hoped the district had an established criteria for determining which positions would be eliminated.
Board member Mark Matthews agreed. “I understand you have to let people go,” Matthews said, adding that any criteria used in the decision-making process should be made public.
Director of Schools Dr. Jeanny Phillips responded that district procedures were followed but she declined to discuss personnel matters during the public meeting.
“We do follow protocol,” Phillips said as an assurance, before adding that she would be willing to meet with board members privately to discuss staffing issues.
The discussion eventually escalated into raised voices, prompting Phillips to ask participants not to yell. As the meeting concluded, Phillips told Byrd she would provide legal documentation from the board’s attorney.
Despite public sentiment that may be to the contrary, under Tennessee law, most employment relationships are considered “at-will,” meaning employers may generally terminate employees with or without cause unless protected by contract or specific statutes.
The discussion of personnel publicly is a bit more of a conundrum. While Tennessee law limits public discussion of personnel matters, and school boards often address sensitive employee issues privately to avoid violating employee privacy rights and legal obligations, the state’s Open Meetings Act generally requires school board business to be conducted in public. In doing so, boards frequently rely on legal advice and privacy considerations when handling personnel matters involving individual employees. Discussions involving attorneys and certain confidential personnel issues may occur outside public deliberations.
