LOXLEY — Over 100 people packed the Baldwin County Board of Education (BCBE) meeting Thursday night, both in opposition and support of Superintendent Eddie Tyler and the Board.
The showing stems from weeks of discussions among parents regarding political moves, lack of transparency and mistreatment of students and teachers. Some of those allegations, Tyler told 1819 News, are slanderous.
School Board Attorney Sarah Young addressed issues brought forth during the March BCBE meeting. Those parents complained that a child with special needs was disrupting and abusing students and teachers at Elberta Elementary.
Young reviewed state and federal laws and regulations that schools face regarding students with disabilities. She cited Section 504 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
"Section 504 says treat everybody the same," Young said. "IDEA says treat children with disabilities as unique and different."
Due to these laws, Young said there was no easy fix.
"Please do not misinterpret the above that I've just provided to you as stating that Section 504 or the IDEA was and is not positive and that it should be abolished," Young said. "Rather, I'm simply trying to point out it's complicated. But until the law is changed or revised, public educators and public school systems are still tasked with educating public students and within the parameters outlined in the laws and the case laws interpreting it."
Young also addressed concerns over AltaPointe's involvement with the school system. She said mental health professionals treat no students without full parental consent.
Nichole King, with the Alabama Education Association (AEA), addressed the school system and encouraged teachers to sign up for assistance with the AEA.
"We would like to encourage Baldwin County educators to join AEA so that we can provide assistance when they have to go through these on-the-job injuries," King said. "We also appreciate the opportunity to hear these concerns so that we can help better achieve outcomes for our educational employees."
Several of the over 20 citizens who spoke during public comment were there to show support for the school system, the BCBE members and Tyler. Among those speakers were current and former educators in Baldwin County. Some said they were asked to show up to support Tyler.
The daughter of BOE member Cecil Christenberry, who is also an educator, said she has never felt she could not come forward with concerns.
"I really want to speak to teachers," Amanda Christenberry Smith said. "If you are not familiar with AEA, I'd like to say, I don't know why not."
Whitney Scapecchi, who has been vocal on social media and gathered information for parents, took the podium by saying, "I didn't know we were 'phoning in a friend tonight.'"
Scapecchi alleged that the school system had acted recently due to public outcry. She mentioned the recent resignation of political strategist Jon Gray, who she claimed was placed in the system by the leadership and had access to student records, messaging platforms, internal emails and a master key for all schools.
"This all began in what was happening in the first-grade classroom at Elberta Elementary. One child. One situation and one plea for help, and still after all this time, there has been no resolution," Scapecchi said.
Scapecchi said the system has been designed to protect itself and not the people.
"And while removing a political consultant looks like progress, let's not all pretend that it was done willingly," she said. It happened because the truth got out and the public started paying attention."
Scapecchi then called on Tyler to resign, which was followed by a room full of applause.
"We're not satisfied and we're not done," she said. "And if this board won't finish the job, the people of Baldwin County will."
Tyler said he had no plans to resign and was thankful for his supporters.
"Well, I'm humbled; I don't ever expect it because I know the job at hand and what I have to do, and not everybody's breaking down the door to be a superintendent," Tyler said. "But it does humble me, but also, people get angry. They're parents. So, lashing out at me, that's okay. I guess that's their right. But it doesn't accomplish anything, and I think this was positive. This was productive."
Tyler said the BOE did not need to approve Gray's resignation because the agreement was between Gray and him and was paid for through his discretionary funds.
"Jon [Gray] reported to me, paid by my funds, he turned in his resignation to me, and he's gone, so there is no need for a resolution or anything like that," Tyler explained. "Basically, he was answering to me, not the board."
However, BOE District 1 member Ken Bradley told 1819 News that he has an issue with having a political strategist when the board has no knowledge of its purpose or what it is doing.
"It's not Mr. Gray's fault," Bradley said. "He's a private entity. He's out there doing what he thinks he's supposed to be doing, and I, as a board member, do not know what that is."
Bradley said he would like to prohibit the engagement of any other political consultants until the board can determine what that would entail.
The superintendent said he stands behind the work Gray accomplished.
"I didn't plant him here," Tyler said. "He's not a puppet; I'm not his puppet. He is a strategist. He knows laws, he knows politicians, he knows how to get things done, and he has helped us these last 10 years."
As for allegations made by some parents, Tyler said those can harm his reputation and career.
"We don't intentionally try to hurt schools or children," said Tyler. "Some of this deceiving stuff, like we all are deceiving the public, you're not doing this, you know, that can be slanderous and libel, and whether she thinks it is or not, if it affects my career and my three years."
Tyler said the special education department is working on a plan for Elberta Elementary to keep students and teachers safe.
Gray has not responded to a media inquiry by 1819 News.
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