FCPS Update: The Firings Began Today - And We're Now at National News Level

 

Not sure you all have seen it yet, but this budget situation at Fayette County Public Schools has now reached national  news level from MSN, AOL, and others. Not major broadcasting, no, but other national news, yes, as well as national educational newsletters. 

In fact, Mark's friends in Michigan have texted him about it. 

So the good news is, my husband's job is safe - and he better be, because he stepped down/transferred departments as a compromise for NOT suing them over proven retaliation/ignorance of AMA accommodations.

In other words, my husband proved it and took a transfer rather than a lawsuit, because he didn't want to take money away from the kids, especially during a budget crisis - because that's the type of person of integrity my husband is and I'm proud of him for it. 

(However, it's less money and they still can't get his paycheck right - and worse, the guy is still there, though he had no qualifications whatsoever to do that job.)

Speaking of the budget crisis, the firings began today and it's extraordinarily sad. 

Worse, they all got emails rather than anyone telling them to their face. 

Mark's boss, though her job is safe, is literally crying at the people let go - she's a great lady.

I don't know the types of people fired overall, because the mass firings just began this morning, but of the ones I know, so far they are low level at Central Office, like mail room, custodial staff, dock staff -  and other people close to retirement, which is just  ... shitty.

One person has been the mailroom guy for 28 years and was going to retire next year was let go. He actually helped us move here in December, super nice guy. 

Also, no one less than 4 years and a day was safe.

Meanwhile, the superintendent - whom the LHL reported tried to run to a Missouri job when all of this started coming out -  is making $600K a year and has some special luxury perks people don't even know about yet, and if/when they do find out, people are going to lose their minds. 

Anyway, brief history of the situation and how we got here ...

Last fall, the superintendent begged the school board and the state for more money, saying we were in emergency status.

The school board was ready to approve it - the school board chair previously being a prima donna that threw tantrums when he didn't get his way, but had curiously become silent and started approving everything that THIS superintendent wanted.

 (Some credible sources say it's because they are in a relationship, but I don't know - but I DO know that the Chairman of the School Board is now in hot water, too.)

A few days later, a bombshell article hit the Lexington Herald Leader newspaper from the Budget Director and her lawyer, claiming she was put on leave for trying to warn the superintendent AND the Chairman of the School Board that the budget was in trouble last July.

She even provided the emails where she had done so.

Thus, she's suing for retaliation and the Whistleblower Act. 

So the state auditor started an audit.

The auditor found extravagant travel expenses and other purchases from our current superintendent.

The superintendent claimed no one below him told him of these problems.

At that point, the superintendent did NOT get the school board to approve his new plan OR his tax hike from the city, so he started threatening to cut teachers and paraeducators, and there was a huge uproar.

Then the LHL local newspaper published the story about our superintendent tried to run and get a job in Missouri and almost got it, until Missouri caught wind of the trouble here and grilled him over it.

A financial consultant - who has stepped in before with budget issues - came in 2 weeks ago and curiously blamed the CFO who had been here for over 20 years, for things she claimed happened in 2008 affecting current budget.

This, despite the fact that the audit already announced the current superintendent's travel and luxury expenses were a problem AND that this financial consultant herself has been here on and off consulting many times since and should've noticed that, then?

So, the CFO was escorted off the property this week, apparently placed on leave, after the superintendent and school consultant  successfully blamed him for something in 2008 - long before this superintendent's luxury trips and spending -  guess they needed a new fall guy to blame?

Then yesterday, there was a big school board meeting where they announced their plan - that teachers and paraeducators were safe, but they would let lower level employees go from central office and others.

None of these others has been anyone in management so far, despite the fact that due to Hays-grade raises, they all get guaranteed $40,000 raises per year.

It just sucks ... stomach turning.

And the lack of transparency about it is the worst. 

Super sad that these people were let go, just to continue to try to cover up the corruption and cronyism of our current superintendent, our School Board Chairman, and their cronies. 

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PS - Our school slogan is "It's About the Kids."

Is it, tho?

My husband asked for transfer, rather than sue - over his AMA precautions being repeatedly ignored and retaliation - and proving it with recordings - because he didn't want to take money away from the kids over it, especially while already in a budget crisis.

Because that's the sort of person my husband is, he has integrity and made it about the kids instead of himself and greed.

All y'all down there in leadership at Central Office should take a page from that, and the first thing you should've done is cut your own salaries or gotten rid of some directors, because you already have too many.(whom you give Hays grade raises to at $40K a year.)