Morris to be among highest paid food admin in the state

Wednesday, July 13. 2011
Although former Kings Bridge Middle School principal Debra Morris is taking a slight pay cut in her new position at food services administrator of the Jackson County School System, her $97,250 salary will make her the 15th highest paid food services official in the state.

Morris’ salary puts her among much larger school systems in the state, including Bibb County, Atlanta Public Schools, Clayton County, Forsyth County, and Richmond County, among others.

Morris, whose tenure at KBMS was riddled with controversy over poor student test scores, was recently moved from that position to replace the county’s retiring food services director Wanda Oliver. Morris’ $97,250 salary is eight percent higher than Oliver’s, who made $89,824 in FY2010 according to state data, but it’s less than the $101,734 she earned as principal.

For the full story, see the July 13 issue of The Jackson Herald.
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#1 BR549 on 07/13/11 at 08:43 AM [Reply]
That is not bad pay for serving food that kids don't like.
#1.1 Dexter Sims on 07/14/11 at 03:42 PM [Reply]
Once again I will say that Dr. Debra Morris needs be left alone and allowed to do her job. If you don't like how things are, replace your school board members and get a new superintendent. But even worse are those of you that make these comments, yet you lacked the character to list your own names. As I said before, the spirit of Jim Crow still lives in Jackson County. By the way Mike Buffington, I am still waiting for my answers to the questions I proposed to you.
#1.1.1 Michael McCarthy on 07/14/11 at 04:25 PM [Reply]
The first amendment of the US Constitution or the bill of rights: The amendment prohibits the making of any law “respecting an establishment of religion,” impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances.

Leaving the government alone in its folly is unAmerican.
#1.1.1.1 Dexter Sims on 07/14/11 at 08:43 PM [Reply]
Debra Morris is not the government, she is a person with a soul. She is a mother, wife, sister, daughter. She deserves to be left alone. She is not KBMS principal anymore. Why don't you ask the government about questions I sent to Mike Buffington. Why are there no black patrol deputies in the Jackson County Sheriffs Department. Why are there no black police officers in the city of Jefferson, Commerce, or Braselton Police Departments. Why are there no black principals in the Jefferson or Commerce school systems. It's not 1960, it's 2011. Ask the government that.
#1.1.1.1.1 keep on asking on 07/17/11 at 09:06 PM [Reply]
Dexter,
You keep asking questions about why all of these offices dont have black officers, deputies, or board memebers. Last time i checked blacks are free to apply for these positions, and run for these offices just like any other race. If they want the job step up and go get it. You are right this is 2011, we all have the right to achieve what ever we want. i don't expect a job because of i am a certain race, the best person should get the position regardless of race. Why dont you apply or run.
Dexter instead of waiting on Mike to get the answers, why don't you get your own answers, quit waiting on someone to hand you something.
#1.1.1.1.1.1 Dexter Sims on 07/18/11 at 04:43 PM [Reply]
For your information I have talked to many people of color who have applied and were qualified, but no opportunity was given. As for me, I am moving out of the county later this year. I am only concern because my son still lives here and my family is here. Why don't you include your name next time?
#2 no way on 07/13/11 at 09:02 AM [Reply]
Sounds like a wonderful salary to have. Yet, the teachers have to take 10 furlough days to help fund her salary and mismanagement of county funds!!
#3 tj on 07/13/11 at 09:23 AM [Reply]
Well lets hope that she provides a more nutrious menu. I completely stopped my children from eating the crap served at the school. The food constanly was making my children sick. What kid needs a honey Bun for breakfast? Half cooked pressed chicken. Then when my children complained of the food being froze they were told to deal with it. When my kids started taking there lunch to school, the lunch lady told my child she doubted whatever she had in her lunch was more nutrious than what was being served and my child never would get a more nutrious meal...what a joke! And this was the Manager of the lunchroom. Everything is prepackaged, breaded and pressed. Nothing fresh for the kids! I really hope it improves.
#4 are you kidding me? on 07/13/11 at 09:37 AM [Reply]
Are we serious? So, we are going to furlough teachers 10 days--basically dropping their pay thousands of dollars, yet expect even more work from them, then we take this person and pay them more than what most system principals make!(except JC schools, they pay their admins very well)
Unreal.............and we wonder why the school system is broke. I have come to expect stupidity from JCSS.
#5 Disgusted on 07/13/11 at 09:40 AM [Reply]
With our teachers facing 10 furlough days this year, this is just not right. This move (Dr. Morris) was obviously done in an attempt to improve KBMS while keeping the system out of "hot water" with any ramifications that could have happened if Dr. Morris had been terminated. Ultimately, the students are being sacrificed for the poor financial decisions by the JCBOE. In addition, we taxpayers are not getting our money's worth. It is time to cut the fat out of the JC School System.
#6 question on 07/13/11 at 10:11 AM [Reply]
Is her husband still a lunch room manager?
Does JC allow spouses to work directly together?
Will she be in charge of his future pay increases?

As far as school food goes, I assume the budget doesn't allow for fresh healthy foods?
#7 john on 07/13/11 at 10:59 AM [Reply]
Let me see if I understand. We hired a personnel director to help make personnel decisions. We pay an incredible amount for a superintendant who is lacking the fortitude to fire an ineffective leader. We have an ineffective board because they are allowing Dr. Adams and our new personnel director to pay an ineffective principal to run the food program at her principal pay. Why not fire her for poor performance? Why not fire all the ineffective leaders in the county? There are many principals that make decisions on what is best for them personally without consideration of the children. All this ineffectiveness is taking place on the backs of the teachers. 10 FURLOUGH DAYS!! It is time for Dr. Adams to retire. It is time for the old regime to pack it in for new leaders to take the reigns. I see in this same paper that once again Jefferson has out scored Jackson county. Why is that? It all has to do with leadership (or lack there of)
#8 participation on 07/13/11 at 11:02 AM [Reply]
some of you are talking bad about the food at some of the schools, but East Jackson Highschool has the best participation of any county school and some of the highest participation in the state. The manager there has catered to the faculty numerous times, and the food is out of this world. Please don't group all the schools together and say they have terrible food. The crew at EJCCHS are always trying to make sure the students and faculty have great food. They make as much of the food as possible from scratch. Mike while don't you do a storey about her and the ladies, and the wonderful food they prepare.
#9 Help Mike Help!! on 07/13/11 at 11:28 AM [Reply]
Where’s the accountability here? I’ve seen in previous posts there were more qualified, or should I say qualified since she seems to have no qualifications for this job, people that applied for this position. And due to entitlement she gets the job? Come on this nonsense has to stop.

Mike, how as taxpayers can we do something about this? As mentioned we are furloughing teachers and cutting here and there and then something like this??? Since the Board doesn’t have the fortitude to stand up to this massive wrong can we take this to a court somehow and make someone accountable?

What can we do Mike? This is wrong!!
#9.1 BOE JOKE! on 07/13/11 at 01:17 PM [Reply]
As tax payers we will only get through to the BOE with #'s(A LARGE crowd of People standing up to them) Call the State BOE and they will tell you the same thing. We as tax payers must stand up to them...we need to stop being afarid! They do not have our children in their best interest. We are the only one's that can force them to make changes.
#9.2 Think before you type on 07/13/11 at 05:44 PM [Reply]
What makes you think she is not qualified???
#9.2.1 Help Mike Help! on 07/14/11 at 07:46 AM [Reply]
Is her PhD in food nutrition or any of the food sciences? Has she ever held a job (in her many years as an educator) in food services? If so, why was she being paid over $100K as a principal?

Maybe you can help me.
How is she qualified in this for this job?
#9.2.2 Joe on 07/17/11 at 06:53 PM [Reply]
What makes you think she is ??
#10 jurasic jack on 07/13/11 at 12:13 PM [Reply]
Well, good luck Dr. Morris, but I believe that you are in for a rough ride.

I believe that you have done very well for yourself. You earned a doctorate in education and held down a six-figure salary. That’s achievement in anybody’s book. And regardless of any criticism of your work, the school system seems to have demonstrated its loyalty to you with an assignment to food system administrator.

Mr. Buffington pointed out that you will be the 15th highest paid food services official in the state. Whether your salary is $97K or $101K, I’d still call it a “hundred large.” And that is where the road gets rough.

Financially strapped is how the Herald described the school system in a June 13th article. I suspect that condition forces the school system to realize that high salaries for those that don’t teach disrupt the whole team. There is more belief now, too, that high salaries for administrators don’t guarantee student performance.

Teachers see such situations as adversarial. A reader comment from a while back said “put money into the classroom, not administrative overlooking.”

Big salaries and lofty credentials are inputs. Student accomplishment is the desired output. I have no real idea about how to measure what the food system manager’s input contributes to student accomplishment. That is hard to figure. But that question is bound to come up if people can get past the salary bump.
#11 gracie on 07/13/11 at 01:20 PM [Reply]
I cannot believe this.Our teachers are having to take time off in order to save money, then most buy their own classroom supplies and the system is acting stupid trying to save their own BUTT"s
#12 concerned taxpayer on 07/13/11 at 01:26 PM [Reply]
what did you really expect? this BOE doesn't have the spine of an earthworm. just waste tax money rather than make the correct choice. they are so afraid of making this black woman angry that they will just stick it to the taxpayers and dare them to do anything about it!!! time to vote them all out and elect a board that will remove Adams from his gilded throne.
#13 Holy crap on 07/13/11 at 02:41 PM [Reply]
Unbelievable. Our inept BOE seems to get more so with every move it makes.

Meanwhile a teacher friend of mine says he'll have to work a couple days without pay to prepare for the upcoming semester. PLUS now both high schools will be doing this extended learning time deal where the teachers have classes for an additional half hour each day. With no pay increase, by the way.

PLUS I'm told the BOE is no longer paying travel expenses for sports teams - the school athletic departments have to pay this themselves - again, with no additional funding.

All the while this inept "Doctor" will be preparing menus.

Oh - and if you think for one second that this woman will actually stoop so low as to serve kids food herself - don't fool yourself.
#13.1 participation on 07/13/11 at 03:58 PM [Reply]
No her job will be to look over the managers of each school in the district. By the way while Mike is always digging something up on Dr Morris, maybe he could show that the lunchrooms in Jackson County pay their selves their own salary, not the county. Basically the majority of the food is subsidized by the federal government. The lunchrooms are basically run like a restaurant. They make money and the money they make pays the very meager salaries of the ladies and men who work there, and also buy the food that is not subsidized by the government. So why are they forced to have furlough days when the county is only providing benefits and not there salary? Also if they have to work overtime they are being paid only $7.25 per hr, not time and half. For some reason that just sounds like it might be against the law. The one school in the county that has a lunchroom that consistantly makes money is East Jackson Highschool. This manager has the highest participation in the county and one of the highest in the state, yet she makes a quarter of what two other "chefs" make because she does not have a degree even though she has worked for the county for more than twenty years. Please please Mike do some digging into that. Also would it not be considered nepotisim that she will be her husband"s boss????
#13.1.1 Melinda on 07/13/11 at 06:05 PM [Reply]
In response to your comment, I think you need to know the facts before you make statements. EJCHS does have a good program with above average participation but as far as being one of the highest in the state, I'm not sure how you would have that information.
As for the 7.25 per hour that is for hours worked up to 40 after that we receive overtime.
Our saleries are public record & anyone who looks will see that my salary is not that much less than the managers who you refer to.
I hope that everyone will give Dr. Morris a chance to do her job & withhold judgement.
We have a wonderful Food Service Program & we work hard for the students of Jackson County.
#13.1.1.1 CONCERNEDTAXPAYER on 07/14/11 at 06:23 AM [Reply]
You think East Jackson High Scool is better than JCCHS when EJCHS just stole $10,000.00's from the state of Georgia? The state might close that school down.
#13.2 moreconcerned on 07/13/11 at 04:08 PM [Reply]
I'm concerned with her future treatment of lunchroom staff .

And what about her own husband, a lunchroom manager? I believe she has other family members that have worked for JC. A child, spouse, and an in-law. Will she do the hiring of lunchroom staff in this position? If so will she be allowed to hire family members?
#14 stil her on 07/13/11 at 04:17 PM [Reply]
Well it didn't take but 10 years for people to finally look at the sorry school board of this county. should have got rid of pandering wheeler, no backbone adams when monia wilbanks rode out with her scared old self last year. I for one would like to have someone that's not afraid to speak up, and look you in the eyes. Everybody needs to confront this bunch at the next board .
#15 laughin still on 07/13/11 at 06:55 PM [Reply]
to #9 quit trying to suck up. As for your job, kiss it by. twenty years and no degree. you didn't speak this highly of her when she wasn't your boss. looks like all the employees needs wax lips.
#15.1 Holy crap on 07/13/11 at 08:07 PM [Reply]
Wrong person again, clueless. You apparently don't know as much as you think.
#15.2 crazy on 07/14/11 at 01:43 PM [Reply]
#15- Last time I checked, lunchroom managers did not have to have a degree. So, I don't think she has to worry about her job. 20 years on the job speaks for itself!
#16 Former "Rifted" Employee on 07/13/11 at 08:27 PM [Reply]
Why does everyone seem so surprised? This is nothing unusual for the JCSS!! The bottom line is, it's all about who you know and who's ass your kissing!!
#16.1 all about whp yo know!!! on 07/14/11 at 11:49 AM [Reply]
yes you said it right!!! amen for that!!!!
#17 Michael McCarthy on 07/13/11 at 08:48 PM [Reply]
You don't need to be a genius to realize government, in general, on all levels, has run amok.
#17.1 unfiltered on 07/14/11 at 12:47 PM [Reply]
Welcome to 2011 Politics at its finest.
#18 just a question on 07/14/11 at 02:58 PM [Reply]
Does she even have any knowledge of the food service industry? Does she even have the qualifications to be in that position?
#19 Joe Christmas on 07/14/11 at 04:00 PM [Reply]
Here's a vote for paying the food adminisitator exactly what she's getting. A good meal is at least as important as algebra and probably more important than anything the chemistry or botany teacher do.
#19.1 For real? on 07/17/11 at 08:59 PM [Reply]
Um, are you for real? You don't think that what the chemistry teachers do is important? I encourage you to remember that the next time you are sick and need medicine. The person or people who developed the medicine that makes you well and eases your pain was a chemist, who likely developed an interest and love for chemistry in school...probably a public school. Give me a break, and please, don't hurt yourself as you fall off of your high horse.
#20 taxpayer on 07/14/11 at 08:36 PM [Reply]
that's why the old lunch lady at ej only makes a quarter of what some of the rest makes. you just need that paper that you do old to get. goodbye.p.s. you don't have a clue on making a lunch for someone with special diet needs, that why they have moved you all over the county because some parent won't put up with you.
#21 This is bull!!! on 07/15/11 at 09:09 AM [Reply]
I think that you people need to sweep out from behind your own back doors and give Dr. Morris a chance I think things will be alot better
#22 jo blo on 07/15/11 at 02:25 PM [Reply]
For those who don't know.... Dr. Morris spent YEARS in food services before earning her degree in education. She was a restaurant manager and took a pay cut to teach school. She is far more qualified to be a director of food services than Buffington is to run a newpaper. For proof, just look at the financial bottom line of Main Street News. Its headed straight to the toilet where it belongs. Incidentally, the newspapers published by Main Street News do make cheap, if ineffective toilet paper. Would probably work better as such if they weren't already full of crap.
#22.1 Michael McCarthy on 07/15/11 at 10:03 PM [Reply]
Jo blo. I don't care if Mike Buffington makes money or doesn't. For the simple reason that I don't have to pay for it. Dr. Morris, on the other hand is taking my tax dollars. That is what concerns us. There is no reason to attack the messenger.
#23 Terri Thornton on 07/18/11 at 12:32 PM [Reply]
As a former JCSS employee, I worked directly under Dr. Morris when she was AP at GSC. She is a compassionate, caring individual who would do anything for anyone, as well as her students. She was never given a chance to show that. As for Dexter Sims and his comments, the reason we don't have black administrators in any JC school is due what has happened to her. When we do finally get one, they are forced out of their positions by those who ridicule and criticize. Dr. Morris is well qualified for her position. Some need to do their homework before they post ignorant comments. Dr. Morris is a person with a compassionate kind heart. From day #1 as administrator, she was never given the chance. She lost before the battle even began.
#23.1 nice on 07/18/11 at 03:22 PM [Reply]
Nice. Play the race card. We're all southern redneck hicks, so of course that makes us all racists who never give anyone different from us a chance.

You can't argue with results and facts. And here are two facts you and your beloved former associate cannot escape:

1. CRCT scores at KBMS were atrocious
2. Dr. Morris will be getting paid 8% more than the person who just retired from the same position.
#23.2 Michael McCarthy on 07/18/11 at 09:00 PM [Reply]
Thanks. I didn't know she was black until now. Very useful information. NOT! Now that I do know her color geez, how does that change the debate? Should I surrender and just say, well, she's black, why don't we just pay her a little more? Silly really.
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