A special meeting of the Nelson County Board of Education was held Tuesday night in Bardstown.Only one item was on the agenda: accepting the resignation of a school board member who quit in frustration last week.Damon Jackey began a career in education in 1992 as a middle school math teacher. For the last 15 years, Jackey has been a member of the Nelson County school board.Jackey chose to step down from that position last week, after other board members proposed merging the district’s two high schools.On the way into Tuesday night’s meeting, two board members were heckled by parents holding signs in favor of continuing to have two high schools in the Nelson County School District.Inside the meeting, a crowd of Jackey supporters stood and cheered as he entered the room.The Nelson County school board then voted 3-1 to formally accept Jackey’s resignation.Jackey quit in protest after last week’s merger vote, which would mean having only one high school for Nelson County district students.Jackey attended the meeting and afterward explained why he gave up his seat on the school board.”We’ve got three board members who apparently have refused to listen to the overwhelming majority of the community on this topic of the one high school. We also have board members who berate staff members at the central office,” Jackey said.Right now, there are two public high schools in the district: Nelson County High School, which opened in 1969, and Thomas Nelson High School, which opened in 2012.Last week, teachers, school employees and students protested the board’s plan to merge those two high schools.WLKY News wanted to ask board members why they wanted to go back to just one high school.They weren’t talking after the special meeting, but former board member Jackey thinks it’s all about prestige.Not in the classroom, but on the playing field.”It comes down to sports. It’s all about having a high school that’s big enough that has these larger bodies of student-athletes they can pull from,” he said. Upset parents who attended the meeting say having two high schools means more opportunities for students.The parents said they’ve tried to communicate with board members about the advantages of keeping both high schools but have been ignored.”I understand why Mr. Jackey resigned. He sees the corruption in the board, which is very obvious to anyone who has reached out to the board since they came into the picture in January. I understand. I’m disappointed, but I understand,” said Stephanie Johnson, who was asked by a reporter how she reached out to board members and the response she received.”Multiple emails, multiple texts, nothing back,” Johnson said. The four remaining Nelson County school board members did not address the one high school proposal during Tuesday’s meeting and declined interview requests.However, the board did announce that Jackey’s vacated school board seat will be filled in December.
A special meeting of the Nelson County Board of Education was held Tuesday night in Bardstown.
Only one item was on the agenda: accepting the resignation of a school board member who quit in frustration last week.
Damon Jackey began a career in education in 1992 as a middle school math teacher.
For the last 15 years, Jackey has been a member of the Nelson County school board.
Jackey chose to step down from that position last week, after other board members proposed merging the district’s two high schools.
On the way into Tuesday night’s meeting, two board members were heckled by parents holding signs in favor of continuing to have two high schools in the Nelson County School District.
Inside the meeting, a crowd of Jackey supporters stood and cheered as he entered the room.
The Nelson County school board then voted 3-1 to formally accept Jackey’s resignation.
Jackey quit in protest after last week’s merger vote, which would mean having only one high school for Nelson County district students.
Jackey attended the meeting and afterward explained why he gave up his seat on the school board.
“We’ve got three board members who apparently have refused to listen to the overwhelming majority of the community on this topic of the one high school. We also have board members who berate staff members at the central office,” Jackey said.
Right now, there are two public high schools in the district: Nelson County High School, which opened in 1969, and Thomas Nelson High School, which opened in 2012.
Last week, teachers, school employees and students protested the board’s plan to merge those two high schools.
WLKY News wanted to ask board members why they wanted to go back to just one high school.
They weren’t talking after the special meeting, but former board member Jackey thinks it’s all about prestige.
Not in the classroom, but on the playing field.
“It comes down to sports. It’s all about having a high school that’s big enough that has these larger bodies of student-athletes they can pull from,” he said.
Upset parents who attended the meeting say having two high schools means more opportunities for students.
The parents said they’ve tried to communicate with board members about the advantages of keeping both high schools but have been ignored.
“I understand why Mr. Jackey resigned. He sees the corruption in the board, which is very obvious to anyone who has reached out to the board since they came into the picture in January. I understand. I’m disappointed, but I understand,” said Stephanie Johnson, who was asked by a reporter how she reached out to board members and the response she received.
“Multiple emails, multiple texts, nothing back,” Johnson said.
The four remaining Nelson County school board members did not address the one high school proposal during Tuesday’s meeting and declined interview requests.
However, the board did announce that Jackey’s vacated school board seat will be filled in December.
