MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - After a $100,000.00 settlement deal last summer, former superintendent Kathleen Harris and the Monroe City School Board parted ways. Instead of hiring a firm to find a new leader, the board created a superintendent search screening committee to do the work.
But now at least one committee member is speaking out, saying the committee is not a fair representation of the community. With a deadline looming to select finalist superintendent candidates, the 20 member superintendent screening committee has been working hard.
Each member spent hours reviewing all 19 applications with guidelines provided by the board. "That part, the major part, which a lot of people thought was a very arduous task has been completed, I'm proud to say," said Monroe Federation of Teachers representative Sandie Lollie, who is the chair of the committee.
Initially, she thought the group was too large to work effectively, but has since changed her mind. "When you can get 20 people to get a task like that done, you've done an awful lot". But it's the makeup of the committee that's concerning co-chair and the sole parent in the group, Jennifer Haneline. "My frustration lies in that we just don't have good representation from our whole community," said Haneline.
Of the 20 screening members, more than half are employed with Monroe Schools and Haneline says it's not a fair representation of the community. She says those not working for the school aren't getting their voices heard. "Getting people who are already entrenched in the system to try to make a change is kind of a ridiculous effort," said Haneline.
With the committee members doing most of the preliminary work, Haneline feels like a secretary rather than a key player in the process. "It's really just asking me to go through paperwork and grade". But Lollie feels differently, saying in time the work will pay off. "Someone has to look at it, is glorified secretary work? I don't think so".
The committee must present the names of the finalists to the board by March 5th.
A Virginia man who was once one of the nation's most prominent swimming coaches has been sentenced to seven years in prison for sexually abusing one of the girls he instructed.
A once-prominent swimming coach who trained thousands of children was sentenced to seven years in prison Thursday for sexually abusing one of the girls he instructed.
Thursday, May 23 2013 8:57 PM EDT2013-05-24 00:57:22 GMT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - After last week's severe weather in Northwest Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency for the area. The National Weather Service says a May 16 thunderstorm
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - After last week's severe weather in Northwest Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency for the area.
Thursday, May 23 2013 8:20 AM EDT2013-05-23 12:20:47 GMT
DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Authorities say a 40-year-old corrections officer assigned to the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola has been arrested in a Livingston Parish home invasion case.
DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Authorities say a 40-year-old corrections officer assigned to the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola has been arrested in a Livingston Parish home invasion case.
Thursday, May 23 2013 8:40 PM EDT2013-05-24 00:40:55 GMT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A new 2-cents monthly tax on cell phones to help provide services for people with hearing impairment has been approved by the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A new 2-cents monthly tax on cell phones to help provide services for people with hearing impairment has been approved by the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee.
Thursday, May 23 2013 8:00 PM EDT2013-05-24 00:00:21 GMT
WEST MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) – For more than a decade Ray of Hope Ministries has been helping people in need. They are just one organization who has volunteers spending the weekend in Oklahoma.
WEST MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) – For more than a decade Ray of Hope Ministries has been helping people in need. They are just one organization who has volunteers spending the weekend in Oklahoma.
Thursday, May 23 2013 10:43 PM EDT2013-05-24 02:43:01 GMT
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - After a debate that lasted more than an hour at the Ouachita Parish School Board meeting, the board has voted to name Richwood High's stadium after a former coach.
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - After a debate that lasted more than an hour at the Ouachita Parish School Board meeting, the board has voted to name Richwood High's stadium after a former coach.
