The Little Rock School Board is still in limbo after Superintendent Jermall Wright announced his decision to step down last week.
Wright said he would stay on throughout the transition process, though the board has yet to choose an interim superintendent or accept his resignation. At a special meeting Monday, many people asked Wright to stay on.
The regularly scheduled board meeting Thursday had many ups and downs, ending with members going into executive session then unanimously voting to award Wright a 3.7% pay increase. Wright hinted at the end of the meeting that he may stay in his position.
This comes after several board meetings featuring verbal disagreements between board member Vicki Hatter and other board members. On social media, and in public comments at a special board meeting Monday, Hatter has been implied to be at fault for Wright's decision to resign.
Resignation hearing law
David Kizzia, the staff attorney for the district, gave a presentation titled “Employee Hearings in the Age of LEARNS.”
Arkansas LEARNS, passed by the Arkansas Legislature in 2023, did away with the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act, making it easier for school districts to fire teachers. The law does contain some language giving teachers termination hearings in some situations. After the law went into effect, state Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, wrote a letter to the Attorney General Tim Griffin. He asked Griffin to clarify situations that would give teachers a grievance hearing.
Griffin responded that districts have to give hearings to teachers when their contracts are cut short. Griffin said teachers can have a hearing over “grievances,” defined as “any concern related to personnel policy, salary, federal laws and regulations, state laws and rules, or terms or conditions of employment raised by an employee.”
He said they do not get a hearing if their contract is no longer renewed.
“When a contract is up, it's up,” the letter said.
Over the past school year, the district has held many hearings for teachers who have not had their contracts renewed. Usually, these teachers have been reabsorbed back into the district. Hatter has been supportive of these hearings often voting against termination.
Kizzia agreed with Griffin and said having a hearing for someone whose contract was not removed may be giving them rights the law does not. He said he had not heard of any of the 200 other school districts having non-renewal hearings.
“Every right has a source in law,” he said. He pointed out that not complying with the law could put funding brought on by LEARNS “in jeopardy.”
He went on to say that giving teachers notice for a contract non-renewal may further give them a right the law does not.
Hatter said the district would only lose “$2 or $3 million” if they did not comply with LEARNS.
“It's a bad situation for teachers,” Hatter said. “It's throwing teachers under the bus.” She said
Kizzia said boards have to follow the law even if they personally disagree with it.
“It's not the law that we wish we had, maybe,” he said. “But it's the law we've got and we work within those parameters.”
He presented a flowchart explaining how teachers still have the right to fight back against termination.
Board member Greg Adams said he was confused by the situation.
“I am thinking as a practical matter how can one avoid giving notice to an employee that their contract is over,” he asked.
Kizzia said he “wondered” the same thing. Throughout the meeting, Kizzia did not disagree with board members expressing their confusion over wording in the current law.
The board discussed alternative ways to let staff know they were being let go without telling them.
Board member Anna Strong asked several questions of Kizzia. She was concerned that documenting the reason for the non-renewal may also be a violation of the law.
As Strong was speaking, Hatter interrupted and told her to talk to another LRSD attorney Chris Heller. She had brought Heller up several times throughout the meeting.
“You already said that,” board member Leigh Ann Wilson said. “ Can Anna finish her question?” The two began arguing while Strong continued to ask questions about termination logistics.
Eventually the presentation ended in a comment by board member Evelyn Callaway.
“It's the law,” she said. “There is nothing we can do about it.”
Board issues
Strong put forward the idea of hiring a crisis PR firm for the district. She said in her work life, she had used crisis firms to help better communicate with the public. She suggested the LRSD hire a firm to implement communications protocols for when issues arise within the district. Strong said this could help them with public transparency.
“I don't really think we have a crisis,” board member Norma Johnson said. “I think we have little hiccups and mishaps.”
Strong disagreed.
“I think the superintendent submitting a resignation letter on the first day of school might be considered a crisis by communications professionals,” Strong said.
Hatter gave a long response to Strong.
“We do have a communications director,” Hatter said. “I do believe if our communication’s director probably had notice [of the resignation], she would have been able to develop strategies.”
The group was called into executive session by board member Greg Adams. He listed three purposes for the executive session. First, to talk about the superintendent's evaluation, his intention to resign and “the possible disciplining of a board member.”
When they got back from the session, Hatter was not there.
Mason said during the session no action was taken but that they “continue to make progress to make the board work as a team with the superintendent.”
Adams then successfully put forward a 3.7% raise for the superintendent. He also suggested the board use better decorum when addressing each other. Meanwhile, Strong suggested the board upgrade both the microphones and board policies.
Wright ended the meeting by hinting he may plan to stay in the job. He said he was moved by community support he had gotten since he announced his choice to step down, including support from strangers.
“Your words and your acknowledgments have really impacted me," he said. He told the board he was looking forward to “continuing the conversations we have started” and “continuing to move forward.”
