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Morris headed to food services? BOE takes no action on proposal to move KBMS principal

Thursday, May 26. 2011

Is embattled Kings Bridge Middle School principal Debra Morris going to become the food services director in the Jackson County School System replacing retiring director Wanda Oliver?

The Jackson County Board of Education met for 35-minutes behind closed doors in a called meeting Tuesday night, but took no action on that proposal and 45 other recommended personnel moves.

The board plans to discuss personnel issues again at its June 9 meeting.

Morris has been the subject of much discussion following several years of poor performance by KBMS students while she has been principal at the school.

Last summer, Morris mailed a poorly-written letter to students coming into KBMS and was heavily criticized over that incident.

In January, 8th Graders at KBMS did poorly on the 8th Grade Writing Test with a failure rate of over 28 percent, among the highest in the state. CRCT results from this spring have not yet been released, but reports indicate KBMS students didn’t do well on that testing, either.

At a May 9 school board meeting, Jefferson resident Redd Howe addressed the BOE about concerns he had about the motives behind KBMS students’ blog comments on The Jackson Herald's website. Howe wondered whether someone at the school had encouraged students to post disparaging comments about editor Mike Buffington. Buffington has been critical in columns and editorials of Morris’ leadership at KBMS.

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#1 HA on 05/26/11 at 07:17 AM [Reply]

You would think at some point the BOE would try to make up for it's previous mistakes... instead, they just want to keep making more.

#1.1 WHY??? on 05/26/11 at 10:05 AM [Reply]

My gosh, you jerks! Why are ya'll so after her? Have most of you - including Buffington - even bothered to get to know her or spent time talking with her? If I were her, I'd sue you all for defamation of character and harassment. The only parents who are commenting - unintelligently, I might add - are probably parents who've had a run-in with administration because of their misbehaving children. And I know for a fact that one blogger is someone who was fired for not being a capable teacher. Does anyone not get it that those who complain about Dr. Morris are the very ones who did not get their way with her when it came to their job or the discipline of their children? Parents have taught their children that they are entitled to have their way and their voice. Nonsense! Why don't you people get a life? Leave this woman alone. She has a heart and feelings, too. And yes, she is certainly qualified to run food services!

#1.1.1 paybackisamother****** on 06/03/11 at 10:54 PM [Reply]

It is obvious that you are one of the individuals she declared she would massage, as long as, they were under her supervision. Allow me to say, blaming others (the parents) for someone else incompetence is definitely not the solution! The only way to bring this entire situation to a close is to replace the incompetent leader. At that point, we can all sit back and watch KBMS scores increase. Which, I believe they will! The individual that will fill her shoes must come in with big feet, because all eyes will be focus on them!

Also, you stated those that complained about Ms. Morris, were those that had a run in with her...Okay, lets make this clear. A leader should lead by example. A run in with her...Now, as a leader she should conduct herself in a professional manner at all times. Also, Ms. Morris is paid by the public citizens. If someone is paying your salary, you would actually take a chance of loosing your job by having a run in with them? How can you back up a person who is wrong! This stuff is not happening to her for no particular reason!

Remember, she will reap whatsoever she sowed. Ms. Morris treats a certain group one way and another group another way. Those that she is able to use as her puppets will not get to experience her nasty and unprofessional behaviors.

She actually told me to watch my back; they (white folks) will stab you in the back! Never trust them! This lady knows how to act and she has you all fooled.

I remember saying to someone...I can't tell if she is black or white...she has black skin...but she acts more or less like the people she told me to watch my back from. A person like her can't be trusted! She is phony and extremely two face!

Keep standing in her corner...you are going to go down with her. Remember God allows things to happen in our lives for a reason. This situation could be for her very own good! She thought she was white, it didn’t take long for the same people she turn to, to turn around and stabbed her in her back. This was inevitable! She totally forgot where she came from!!

#1.2 Dexter Sims on 05/26/11 at 11:41 AM [Reply]

I worked with Debra Morris when she was the assistant prinicipal at the Gordon Street Center. She is a very good woman and a very good educator that cares about the children. Before you past judgement on her, take some time to get to know her. Rather she remains principal at Kings Bridge Middle School or trnasfer to Food Service Director, it would be a huge mistake if the school district let her get away. She is a very good asset to the county school district. We allowed Dr. Keith Everson and April Howard to get away, we need not make the same mistake again.

#2 KBMS Parent on 05/26/11 at 08:03 AM [Reply]

Having children in this school and having to deal with the administration there, you soon understand the true meaning of the "Peter Principle". BOE - WAKE UP and make the change.

#3 abrogate on 05/26/11 at 08:59 AM [Reply]

According to the definition of Peter Principle she should have been terminated right?

Tax Payers need to push for published checkbook ledgers in the future.
Some expenditures are never published or public. http://www.open.ga.gov/ is only part of the picture.

#4 eaglemom on 05/26/11 at 09:45 AM [Reply]

Let me begin by saying that when I read Buffington's editorial a few weeks back that sparked the comments from several KBMS students, I thought that the comments only further put the students in a bad light. They did not show much maturity in the words that they chose to defend their school. However, I also feel that Mr. Buffington frequently has negetive things to say about the "east" schools, and I have noticed that when it comes to the "GOOD NEWS," these same schools seem to often be left out of the Jackson Herald. I have been in the area for less than a handful of years so I may not be completely aware why this seems to be the case. I have heard conversations where the building/opening of certain schools--mostly KBMC and EJCHS--is seen as useless and/or foolish. That would be easy to understand I guess if we had all known economically what was on the horizon, but hindsight is 20/20...
I was just curious about this latest article where it says the CRCT scores haven't been made known, but reportedly they weren't so good either. I wonder who that information came from. I was at the KBMS awards on the last day of school and watched a very large and impressive number of students receive recognition for exceeding in the individual area of the CRCT tests, as well as those who exceeded in EVERY area! Many times, it was stated that the list was long, and the students who went forward, grade by grade, to receive their award formed a line the entire width of the gymnasium floor. I of course don't know but I was hoping at that time that someone from The Jackson Herald was there...

#4.1 Another eaglemom on 05/26/11 at 10:11 AM [Reply]

Yes, I agree. The CRCT scores may not be made public yet, but there were HUGE numbers of students who exceeded in all areas and got awards. And then there were lines across the gym for those who had exceeded the CRCT in different subjects. I,too, wondered why this critical paper didn't bother to send someone to "report" on this fine event. Also, there was a VERY IMPRESSIVE Math/Science night a few weeks ago. Of course no one from the paper came there, either, but there was a big turnout and everyone left there being very impressed with the quality of work these students had done. The only reason Dr. Morris is "embattled" is because the paper is battling her.

#5 KBMS dad on 05/26/11 at 11:10 AM [Reply]

My 7th grader was encouraged by school officials to post comments to counter Buffongton's editoral... Even to use a fake name...... Results dont lie..Make the change!

#6 Again on 05/26/11 at 02:45 PM [Reply]

It is not illegal or immoral to teach children to write to an editor.Rather than believe that asking students to use fake names was somehow malicious, it might be that the teacher(s) wanted to protect the child's identity. After seeing some of the vicious responses to some posts, I'm not sure it was such a bad idea. Now some parents seem to think that their child is not capable of forming an opinion unless it complies with their own. Sad. It also appears that the people who have more at risk in JC's educational community are the very ones who are constantly being attacked: students and educators. This is so surprising since JC is such a religion soaked area. What are ya'll learning in your services?

#7 abrogate on 05/26/11 at 05:33 PM [Reply]

This old thread need to be bumped up due to the current situation.
The posts are from several, several people who have dealt with her the last 3--4 years.

http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/3758-COLUMN-Weak-schools-the-result-of-weak-principals.html

#8 hairinmyface on 05/27/11 at 01:31 PM [Reply]

debra morris is an excellent person,administrator,team player and valuable employee of jackson county schools.having these characteristics are not in compliance with the jackson county school system. now on the other hand , if she changed grades,changed schedules ,let kids graduate with not enough credits, created classes that didn't exist,had the worst school morale. she would be considered a very valuable employee.god bless you debra,i am proud my child served under your leadership.

#9 Mom on 06/08/11 at 07:43 AM [Reply]

I don't think it is a great idea to keep her on at all in JC. Also, the BOE should definetly remember that Morris' husband is the food service manager at SJES. Isn't that a major conflict. Morris would be her husbands boss if she took over for Oliver.

#9.1 oneplusone on 06/08/11 at 05:15 PM [Reply]

Will he keep this position if she is transferred?
Will the board make a decision tomorrow, the 9th?

#9.1.1 decision made on 06/11/11 at 12:57 PM [Reply]

Well, they made a decision to transfer Debra Morris to Food Service!!! What will happen with her husband?

#10 GoodNews on 06/09/11 at 09:05 PM [Reply]

If I just read the board notes correctly, KBMS just hired Howard McGlendon as principal.
If true, this has the be one of the best decisions the board has ever made.
They are lucky to get him!

#11 KBMS Parent on 06/13/11 at 03:43 PM [Reply]

THANK YOU BOE for removing her as a principle. After dealing with her administration, it was apparent that she is a weak administrator. I am concerned that we are continuing to pay her salary at its current level for a food staffing position. I will wait and see what is published.

Is it true that her husband is employed in the same department? This smells bad. It may be a well defined situation but the BOE has to defend this publicly if it is true.

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