The County School Board voted 6-2 on Thursday against a plan by the state to bring a pilot program to Orchard Knob Middle School, saying that school already has another intervention program going on and is enjoying a successful turnaround.
Interim Supt. Dr. Nakia Towns said school officials repeatedly urged the state Department of Education to focus instead on Howard School. However, she said the state insisted on implementing the new program at Orchard Knob Middle. Board members said the state would be "taking the credit" when Orchard Knob Middle likely goes off the Priority School list next fall, though the bulk of the improvement work has already taken place.
School Board Attorney Scott Bennett said the state "needed to find another school" to implement the new program and latched onto Orchard Knob Middle.
Dr. Towns said the state said it was going ahead with the Orchard Knob Middle program, but finally agreed to provide $750,000 for Howard improvements.
The school board vote may have imperiled the $750,000 for Howard, school officials said.
Board member Joe Smith said of the linking of the Howard money with proceeding with the Orchard Knob Middle program, "That's extortion. That's mean. That's wrong. That really makes me angry."
Board Chairman Tucker McClendon indicated he agreed with the extortion statement, saying he was weary with dealing with the state.
Karitsa Mosley Jones said, "I'm tired of the state using our students at Orchard Knob as guinea pigs."
Jenny Hill and Marco Perez were the only board members to vote approval for the state's Orchard Knob Middle program. Ms. Hill said, "I will vote yes to get the money. I will sell us out to get the money." Mr. Perez said, "I will sell my soul for the students of Howard."
Voting against were Mr. McClendon, Ms. Jones, Mr. Smith, Rhonda Thurman, James Walker and Joe Wingate.
Dr. Towns said the state could punish Hamilton County Schools for the action "by taking an unlimited amount out of our budget."