Cabell County Schools Kick 101

Employees To The Curb

(L) Lisa Ashworth (center), a Cabell Midland band music instructor, was saved from the RIFs

(R) Justin Stanley (center), said he owed his future career choice to Ashworth

In the end, the Cabell County School Board voted to make 101 employees walk the plank. Seventy-seven professional staff and 24 service personnel were laid off in order for the School District to submit a balanced budget to state officials.

"There has to be a better way of doing this," said Board member Ted Barr, shortly before casting the only vote against the RIFs (reductions in force).

Board President Joe Farrell said the RIFs are necessary. "The reality is we can’t pay these teachers."

Dee Morrow Perry, a West Middle School teacher, says her school was hit hard by the RIFs and transfers. "I think almost half of our staff is affected. Most of the teachers on the list are those who spoke up against the proposed closing of West at the School Board Meeting…I don’t know if we can put those coincidences together." She says the 6^th grade and 7^th grade science teachers had the same amount of tenure, and were told they had to come down to the school board building and draw straws for their job. One refused, and he received the transfer letter.

Mark Buchanan, a West Middle School Science Teacher, was named Professional Employee of the month of March. His name is on the RIF list.

"Three of our four math teachers are on the list. One is being transferred to Cammack Middle School to teach PE – she’s never bounced a friggin’ ball in her life. Another Math teacher has to teach kindergarten. It’s like dropping somebody on the moon and saying, ‘live!’" "They griped at us about our low test scores, then they cut our core people? That doesn’t make sense," said Perry.

While most of the teachers met behind closed doors with Board Members before the RIFS were finalized, one teacher attracted a huge crowd. A few dozen students, parents and boosters turned out to protest the proposed transfer of Lisa Ashworth, who teaches marching band part-time at Cabell Midland High School. Rhonda Smalley, Band Director for the Cabell-Midland Marching Knights, told the Board she couldn’t possibly teach over 150 kids in the marching band by herself. Justin Stanley, a senior at Cabell Midland High and a band member, said Ashworth influenced him into deciding to become a music teacher. "It’s regrettable, I suppose the layoffs may be necessary, but it’s imperative for the community in this case to find somewhere else to make the cut." The Marching Knights played in the Orange Bowl half-time show and were Grand Champion of the Gator Bowl in 1999, and Grand Champion of the Peach Bowl in 1998. In this particular case, the School Board blinked.

"I will change my mind, which is very rare in this type of setting," said School Superintendent David Roach. The Board voted to keep Ashworth at Cabell Midland.

As for the other teachers, Roach reminded the audience that most of the teachers that are RIFed each year are rehired. Rex Bartholomew called the RIFs a dirty business. "It always seems we’re the bad guys, but as long as they’ve (state legislature) got these laws up there, it hurts."

Click Here For The Complete List Of Employees Affected