Nepotism in schools

A new state law prohibits school board members and superintendents from having immediate family members in high ranking positions, but it’s unclear how the law will affect at least two local situations.

In the Whitfield County school system, superintendent Katie Brochu’s husband Lloyd is the principal of Crossroads Academy, where he has been for three years.

In Dalton Public Schools, board member Mark Orr’s wife Laura was promoted recently to a system-wide position as Title 1 director after serving for 23 years in the school system, including six as an elementary school principal.

House Bill 251, which goes into effect July 1, prevents superintendents from serving if they have an immediate family member who is a principal, assistant principal or system administrator in the same school district. The same rules apply to school board members. Immediate family members are defined as the person’s “spouse, child, sibling, or parent, or the spouse of a child, sibling, or parent.”

The law states the changes won’t “affect the employment of any person who is employed by a local school system on or before July 1, 2009, or who is employed by a local school system when an immediate family member becomes the superintendent for that school system.”

What’s unclear to some observers is whether contracts for people in those situations can be renewed after July 1.

Georgia School Boards Association director of policy Angela Palm said the organization’s attorneys believe an argument can be made that employees can keep their same jobs.

“But there is still that question,” she added. “I’m not sure what the legislative intent was there.”

State Sen. Don Thomas, who voted for the bill, said he also isn’t sure. He said the issue never arose during debates he heard. Thomas said he knows of no problems from the Brochus or Orrs holding top positions in the same school system, but that he voted for the bill because he believes there is the potential for problems.

“I would imagine that for contracts that were already in existence it would be difficult to not renew those contracts,” he said.

Katie Brochu said the school system’s attorneys are looking into the matter. Lloyd Brochu’s direct supervisor is assistant superintendent Dusty Brown, she said. She said she never directly supervises her husband and does not see the relationship as a conflict.

Crossroads Academy is an alternative school jointly run by the Whitfield school system and Dalton Public Schools. Lloyd Brochu’s salary is paid by the county school system.

Laura Orr said she and her husband haven’t had to deal with conflicts of interest related to their positions. She was an educator several years before her husband was elected, and she said she and her husband don’t discuss school system policy very much.

“I don’t think I would talk to him any differently than I would talk with anybody else,” she added. “Most of the time we just try to not talk about things like that.”

RIF fairness

Fred Gould, director of the local chapter of the Georgia Association of Educators, said nepotism has been an issue in school systems everywhere for a long time, but is often difficult to prove. Gould said he fields complaints about decisions “that seem to favor family members of board members.”

At a time when many Georgia schools are slashing jobs, family members of several local school board members have still found work.

Since March, the Whitfield County Board of Education approved cutting seven teachers and eight graduation coaches from next year’s payroll. It’s part of an overall effort to eliminate 34.5 teaching positions because of state funding cuts and an increase in class sizes.

In a few cases, teachers with no experience were hired for the upcoming year while veterans with more than 25 years’ experience were let go. Superintendent Brochu said the deciding factors often are certification, expertise and effectiveness rather than years of service and level of education. Under the school system’s reduction in force (RIF) policy adopted in March, principals recommend their staff selections to the superintendent, the superintendent makes recommendations to the board of education, and the board members make the final decisions. Dalton’s school board has a similar policy.

Emily Tarter, a 30-year teacher who was most recently employed at the Whitfield Career Academy, said it was a surprise when her contract was not renewed for next year because of the reduction in force. Principal Phillip Brown said Tarter’s job was eliminated because the school cut the drafting program she taught due to low interest.

“It’s supposed to be pretty much because of budget problems from my understanding,” Tarter said. “Is that true or not? I don’t know ... When there are budget problems and economic problems, everyone has to bite the bullet.”

Of the five Whitfield board members, three have immediate family members employed in the school system as teachers or paraprofessionals. All except Jerry Nealey’s daughter-in-law, Laura, were hired for the first time before the board members were elected.

Dalton board of education member Tulley Johnson said he’s never been questioned about the fact his wife teaches in the school district for which he sets policy. He has served nine years, and his wife has taught 31 years. Many board members during his three terms have had family members who are school employees, he said.

“We just don’t look at whether it’s your aunt or uncle or niece or cousin,” he said. “That’s not important. We think about the vision of the school district and how the person will (best serve the students).”

Board member relationships

Palm said a law passed in 2000 requires board members to abstain from voting on the employment of immediate family members.

Laura Nealey has taught in the school system for nine years while Jerry Nealey has been on the school board for 16 years. He said he believes the system works well in preventing favoritism from being shown to board members’ or administrators’ relatives since board members must abstain from voting.

Whitfield board of education member John Thomas said his wife and sister work in the school system and the family sometimes receives criticism because of that. He said his wife, Amanda, declined to comment.

“It’s hard on (my wife),” he said.

Amanda Thomas has worked for the school system since 2000, taking time off some years to care for one of their children, according to her husband. John Thomas has served on the board for two years. His sister, Melody Hammontree, was hired for the first time in 1996.

“Is that unethical that she has a job with the school system since she’s my sister?” he said. “I know she’s a fabulous teacher, so should the system be penalized by not hiring teachers such as her?”

Balancing act

There’s nothing inherently wrong with administrators or school board members having family members in the same school district, Palm said.

“For instance, do we find it odd if medicine runs in the family? Do we find it odd if law runs in the family?” she said. “Those professions tend to run throughout families, so it’s not uncommon to have educators whose children want to be educators.”

The flip side to the new law is that it could discourage some talent from staying in the community, Palm said. Many educators want to live and work where they grew up so they can be near family, she said.

“If someone wants to be a teacher, but they know they would never be allowed to rise to a leadership position because, for instance, their parent or in-law is a superintendent there, are they going to come back?” she said. “So you’re losing a talent pool potential with this.”

Tunnel Hill resident Shelia Harrington, who has elementary age grandchildren in the Whitfield system, said she doesn’t see a problem with having superintendents or board members with relatives in the system.

“I think that people should be able to work even if they are related,” she said.

Dalton resident Tony Rainey said there is a potential for a conflict of interest.

“But most of the time when you’ve got people in the same job or system, they’re not really around each other that much anyway,” he added.

The new law doesn’t address all situations involving family members, only those in high ranking positions. Gould said he’s seen situations where the community believed favoritism was being shown at lower levels. The only way to stop nepotism is to establish and document a pattern of favoritism and then speak out against it, he said.

“The question becomes, ‘How willing are people to pursue it?’” he said.

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Dalton Public Schools

• Assistant superintendent Don Amonett, who has worked for the school system for more than 30 years, has a son, Nick, who holds a bachelor’s degree and is a middle school teacher employed by DPS for two years. Amonett’s daughter-in-law, Shari Amonett, holds a bachelor’s degree and is an elementary teacher employed for two years at City Park.

• Assistant superintendent Palmer Griffin has worked for the school system for 21 years. His wife Laura holds a bachelor’s degree and is an elementary paraprofessional who has been employed with DPS for 12 years. She is currently at Brookwood.

• Nine-year board member Tulley Johnson’s wife Richa Dene, who holds a doctorate degree, is a middle school teacher who has been employed by DPS for 31 years.

• Twelve-year board member Mark Orr’s wife Laura, who holds an education specialist degree, has been employed in Dalton Public Schools for 23 years, six of which were as an elementary school principal. She was promoted for the 2009-2010 school year to Title I director.

Source: Dalton Public Schools

Whitfield County Schools

• Three-year superintendent Katie Brochu’s husband Lloyd was assistant principal at Eastbrook Middle School in 2005. He has been principal at Crossroads Academy for three years and was rehired as principal for the upcoming school year.

• Two-year human resources director Danny Hayes’ daughter Aubree holds a bachelor’s degree and begins her first full-time teaching job at Cedar Ridge Elementary this fall. She has a bachelor of science in elementary and special education.

• Sixteen-year board member Jerry Nealey’s daughter-in-law, Laura, who holds a bachelor’s degree, was a teacher for five years at New Hope Elementary and for four years at Westside Elementary. She returns to Westside in the fall.

• Two-year board member John Thomas’ sister, Melody Hammontree, holds a bachelor’s degree and has taught at Varnell Elementary School since 1996. Thomas’ wife Amanda holds a bachelor’s degree and has been a part-time teacher off and on since 2000 at Pleasant Grove Elementary. She did not work during the 2008-2009 school year but was rehired as an Early Intervention Program teacher at Pleasant Grove Elementary for 2009-2010.

• Four-year board member Tim Trew’s wife Donna holds a bachelor’s degree and was hired in 1996 as a teacher at Dawnville Elementary. She worked two years at Pleasant Grove as a paraprofessional, resigned in November 1997, and was rehired beginning in 1998 for three more years as a parapro at Pleasant Grove. She resigned in 2001 and was hired in 2003 as a parapro at Pleasant Grove three consecutive years. She has worked as a teacher since 2006. Last year, she was at Dawnville. This year, she will be at Cedar Ridge Elementary.

Source: Whitfield County Schools

Whitfield County teacher reduction in force

• Marlene Carroll, master’s degree, one year

• Joy Coker, associate’s degree, held technology teacher, paraprofessional, media clerk and technology specialist positions at various times since 1999

• Herb Gibson, specialist degree, 25 years

• Jim Reilly, master’s degree, 20 years

• Steve Sparks, bachelor’s degree, 30 years

• Emily Tarter, associate’s degree, 30 years

• Florinda Vidal, master’s degree, one year teaching plus four years as paraprofessional

Source: Whitfield County Schools. Years taught refers to experience teaching in Georgia. Does not include non-degree related education.

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