Board Members Chided For Not Renewing School Chief’s Contract

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. – Claiming to speak on behalf of a large group of concerned people, a Sullivan County commissioner criticized the Board of Education’s decision last month not to renew Director of Schools Jack Barnes’ contract.
Commissioner Sam Jones of Kingsport told board members during their Thursday night meeting that he’s heard from several school teachers, employees and parents who think Barnes has led the school system in a positive direction in the year he has served as director.
“There’s a lot of feeling that we’ve put politics before the students,” Jones said. “What’s best for the students should be in everybody’s best interest.”
At its Sept. 9 meeting, the board voted 4-3 against a proposal to renew Barnes’ contract, which expires June 30. Barnes has worked with the school system since 1969 and was hired to work as its director in May 2008.
Board members who voted against Barnes said they based their decision on a controversial personnel shake-up and a plan he introduced to close schools that angered many parents in the community.
But Jones said the board should have looked past these concerns and considered other aspects of Barnes’ career, including: a recent jump in college-ready test scores, his ability to manage the school system’s finances and his good working relationship with the County Commission.
He asked board members to speak with some of the people who support Barnes and then reconsider their decision at the next meeting, which will be at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 2 at the school system’s central office in Blountville.
Board members remained silent during Jones’ plea. But the silence was broken when board member Jack Bales said the school board should formally start looking for Barnes’ replacement.
“I think we should go ahead and get on with it,” said Bales, who voted against extending Barnes’ contract.
He suggested that the board start the process at its November meeting.
No other board members spoke about Barnes or Jones’ remarks.
On another topic, board members voted unanimously to let two years of high school marching band, which is currently an elective, count as a physical education credit.
“We feel [the marching band] is enriching the lives of our kids,” said Kurt Stevenson, whose daughter is in the Sullivan South High School marching band.
Stevenson said taking part in band has helped his daughter and son expand their minds, get exercise and improve their discipline. It can even be a career choice, said Stevenson, whose son is a drum-line instructor at the high school.
High school students need to earn at least one physical education credit to graduate, Assistant Director of Schools Gene Johnson said. The school system already counts two years of enrollment in a high school ROTC program as a physical education credit, he said.

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