MSCS Superintendent Marie Feagins high-fives a student during a recent school visit (Photo from Memphis-Shelby County Schools)¶
The parent advocacy organization Memphis Lift held a press conference Thursday to voice support for Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins amid efforts by some school board members to terminate her contract.¶
The press conference comes just after the school board voted 5-4 on Tuesday to postpone a vote to decide whether to oust Feagins after less than a year with the board. Board members said they were considering firing the former Detroit Public Schools leader for allegations of “professional misconduct.” Among the allegations in the resolution, Feagins has been accused of failing to communicate important decisions with the board, such as a personnel plan earlier this year that aimed to cut and restructure over 1,000 positions, and misleading the public about overtime wages in the district.¶
MSCS Spanish teacher Noah Nordstrom, a former Democratic Party candidate for Tennessee House District 83, said during the press conference that he’s noticed many positive changes in the district since Feagins took the role in the spring.¶
Nordstrom thanked parents and community members for speaking in support of Feagins at Tuesday’s board meeting. He also thanked board members Amber Huett-Garcia, Michelle McKissack, Tamarques Porter, Keith Williams, and Joyce Coleman for voting to delay the decision, and urged school board members to vote against Feagins’ termination in January.¶
“Dr. Feagins is the biggest blessing that our district has had in a long time. I started last year when we did not have a superintendent, and I saw the consequences of that every day. The lack of leadership, the lack of organization, the fact that I wasn't visited once during my first year of teaching from central office,” Nordstrom said. “She came in and immediately started making changes, and we're seeing the results. My school alone went up an entire letter grade, almost two letter grades.¶
“We're seeing improvement in literacy rates. We're seeing her tackle truancy. We're seeing kids more motivated, and kids talking about how the school is functioning better. All the teachers are talking about it.”¶
Nordstrom was joined at the press conference by State Rep. Mark White, who he ran against in the November election. While the two expressed many public policy differences on the campaign trail, Nordstrom said they were happy to stand together in support of Feagins.¶
“We were against each other, but we're here today in unity,” Nordstrom said. “Here's a great community saying that our kids are more important than political games.”¶
White, who also serves as chairman of the House Education Administration Committee, said he believes the community needs to “stand behind Dr. Feagins at this time” in order to focus more on issues such as improving literacy and combatting chronic absenteeism.¶
White however noted that current state law does not allow the county to recall board members who’ve pushed for Feagin’s termination, which some community members have suggested doing. He said teamwork will be crucial moving forward.¶
“The community showed up and said, ‘No, this cannot stand,’” he said. “I want us to take this moment to get this right.”¶
JR Robinson, cofounder of the community media outlet JustMyMemphis, called the recent moves to fire Feagins “disgusting.”¶
Robinson said he believes that school board members should all be celebrating Shelby County Commissioners’ recent decision to approve $33,910,683 in additional funding for a new high school in Frayser, rather than considering Feagins’ termination. He said the good news from the commission seemed to be overshadowed by “the chaos of what was going on at the board.”¶
Robinson also urged community members to continue voicing their support for Feagins, just as they did at Tuesday’s school board meeting.¶
“On Tuesday night, Memphis showed up and showed out in support of our superintendent,” he said. “You showed up and you showed out on Tuesday night. I beg parents to do the same thing. Show up in the schools, volunteer in the schools, get involved in helping. That's what our community needs, is for us to all come together and work together.”¶
