Barbara Parker is no longer the Director of Cannon County Schools. By a vote of 3-2 Parker was removed from the position and transfered to a teaching position at Cannon County High School. This was the result of Thursday night’s special called meeting of the Cannon County Board of Education. Both chairman Bruce Daniel and school board member Javin Fann claimed the reasoning for the move primarily had to do with TNReady test scores and Cannon ranking low in them. Neither chairman or any school board member would comment as to the reason why they were seeking to remove Parker immediately instead of waiting until the end of the school year when her contract expires. It was pointed out that the Board had to let Parker know by December 31st if they intended to renew her contract and keep her in the Director’s seat since her contract was coming up in July. Bruce Daniel made the motion to remove Parker, Javin Fann seconded the motion and board member Shelley Walkup voted to remove Parker. Board members Nathan Sanders and Tim Powers voted against removing her. Powers spoke up at the meeting and expressed his concerns over taking such action in the middle of the school year and how much that could have an adverse effect on the outlook of the schools in Cannon County. Both Sanders and Powers asked questions of those against Parker in which no clear concise responses were given. After the decision on Parker, Javin Fann make a recommendation to place William Freddy Curtis, a government teacher at Cannon County High School as the interim director of schools. Mr. Curtis was not present at the meeting. The recommendation passed on a 3-2 vote as well with the same Board members voting the same way.
The tape delay broadcast of the meeting will air Friday morning in its entirety starting after the local and area news at 8:00 on AM-1540/FM107.1 and streaming live on our website at wbry.com
