Sign up for Chalkbeat Tennessee’s free newsletter to keep up with statewide education policy and Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Marie Feagins wants to make clear what she thinks about the attempt to oust her: She plans to defend herself and has no intention of resigning.
In a written response to the school board Monday, Feagins said the allegations cited as a basis for firing her are “meritless” and described the effort as “personally driven” and “politically motivated.”
The board agreed to discuss the matter at a scheduled work session on Jan. 14, after deciding Dec. 17 to defer a vote on whether to end Feagins’ contract.. Any vote to fire her would have to take place at a formal board meeting. The next one is Jan. 21.
In her response Monday, which board attorney Robert Spence shared in an email to Chalkbeat, Feagins said, “I will not resign,” and urged members to reconsider an action that “does not serve the best interests of our district, children, or the broader community.”
Feagins said her attorney received no response when asked about specific policies and procedures she is alleged to have broken.
“To directly speak to the meritless claims, I have never, under any circumstances, intentionally or unintentionally misled a board member or the board as a whole,” she said in her response. “Furthermore, I have not mismanaged district funds.”
The allegations were contained in a resolution that Board Chair Joyce Dorse-Coleman presented to the board on Dec. 17, seeking to terminate Feagins immediately on grounds that she breached the terms of her contract. The resolution claims that she:
- Failed to provide evidence of her statement that district employees were paid $1 million in overtime for time not worked.
- Accepted a donation of more than $45,000 without board approval, then misrepresented what happened.
- Misled the board and public about a federal grant and its missed deadline.
While presenting the resolution in December, Dorse-Coleman said Feagins “engaged in conduct detrimental to the district and the families it serves.”
Under Feagins’ contract, if she is fired without cause, she would be entitled to a severance payment of $487,500. Feagins strongly denied the claims at the Dec. 17 board meeting, and the board appeared split on whether to vote to oust her.
Board members Stephanie Love, Sable Otey, Towanna Murphy, and Natalie McKinney opposed delaying a decision at the Dec. 17 meeting. But Michelle McKissack, Amber Huett-Garcia, Tamarques Porter, and Keith Williams spoke out against the resolution.
Ultimately, Dorse-Coleman cast the deciding vote on a proposal to move the discussion and decision to the new year, and give Feagins more time to respond. In a Dec. 26 statement, Dorse-Coleman said her stance on removing Feagins has not changed.
“She has a pattern and practice of not providing critical information and instead misinforming the board members,” Dorse-Coleman said in her statement. “I don’t think this is something we can overcome.”
Murphy shared similar concerns with Chalkbeat after the district’s attorney told her about Feagins’ response on Tuesday.
Murphy said the superintendent does not make an effort to communicate with her, and it “has gotten worse” since the Dec. 17 meeting.
“She does not follow the instructions of the board,” Murphy said. “It is about running the school board as a whole, and us doing it for the children. But we seem to keep forgetting about the children because we’re too busy putting out Dr. Feagins’ fires.”
Murphy said she wanted Feagins to work out but she no longer envisions a future with her.
Feagins’ said in her statement Monday that she feels “deeply disturbed” by some board members’ “unwarranted attacks” on her integrity and what she described as their disregard for her professional background.
“Despite the falsehoods and defamatory public remarks intended to damage my character and diminish public trust in me, I have upheld the highest standards of professionalism,” Feagins told the board in her response. “This includes navigating attempts by current and former board members to remove me and create an intimidating work environment — actions of which you have been aware for months — while also tactfully addressing this resulting national embarrassment brought on our city and district.”
Meanwhile, the district still grapples with academic and financial challenges while trying to rehabilitate a relationship with the community that weakened during the long superintendent search.
Feagins has a four-year contract that pays her $325,000 annually. Before coming to Memphis, she held a leadership position at the Detroit Public Schools Community District.
Feagins became the first outside leader of MSCS since the district was created through a merger a decade ago.
