No contract renewal for Monroe's Superintendent - KNOE 8 News; KNOE-TV; KNOE.com |

MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Monroe City School Board members voted down giving Superintendent Kathleen Harris a new contract.

"Board members I will ask you to please reconsider your position," Board Member Rodney McFarland said.

McFarland made a plea to other school leaders. Mainly, he asked board members Vickie Dayton and Clarence Sharp to take back a measure to not renew Harris' contract. Board Member Glynn Ludley agreed with McFarland.

"Everything she has asked for, if it meant anything, at least four or five voted it down," Ludley said.

Board Member Vickie Krutzer and Mickey Traweek supported Dayton's motion to not keep Harris on the job next year as well. The superintendent's contract ends on the last day of December.
    
Harris gave her attorney a thumbs up who sat in the back of the meeting room. The lawyer told Harris to not make any comments about her contract or the board's decision.
     
"teach your children, take them to church! You be blaming the teachers and the superintendent, it's our parents,"one person from the crowd shouted.

That person spoke in support of Harris. She believes more responsibility should be in the parents hands when it comes to students' education.
     
This non-renewal vote comes after Harris received mostly underperforming scores from most board members on two evaluations. Each one that handed her a failing score, voted in favor of changing the district's superintendent.