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Jacksonville North Pulaski board dismisses employee grievance after executive session
Summary
The Jacksonville North Pulaski School District Board of Education voted to dismiss a grievance filed by employee Willie Larry, concluding the complaint was not grievable under board policy 3.25 after an executive session on personnel.
The Jacksonville North Pulaski School District Board of Education voted unanimously to dismiss a grievance filed by employee Willie Larry during a special meeting that moved into executive session to consider personnel matters.
Board members concluded the grievance was not grievable under district policy 3.25 on licensed personnel grievances and related statutory or administrative procedures, and closed the matter without further action.
The hearing opened with the board chair reading a statement about procedure and asking Mr. Larry to choose whether the hearing would be open or closed; Mr. Larry indicated he wanted the hearing closed. The board then moved into executive session to discuss personnel matters.
Scott Richardson, identified in the meeting as counsel assisting the administration, told the board, "It is the administration's position that the agreement is not grievable," arguing the district's statutory and administrative grievance rules — and a reprimand issued after a March 17 hearing — put the matter outside the grievance process. Richardson told the board that portions of Larry's grievance appeared to derive directly from that reprimand and were therefore covered by existing disciplinary procedures.
On behalf of Willie Larry, Sheila Campbell argued the district had not given Mr. Larry due process regarding changes to his contract and stipends. Campbell said Larry "would never give a student the keys to ... a bus without teacher supervision" and questioned whether the board had approved modifications to his contract that resulted in loss of stipends. She cited the attorney general and what she referred to as the "LEARN's act," saying pay-related items should be considered grievable when the contract had not been terminated.
After returning to open session, the board reviewed relevant minutes, the GRAMA request, and policy 3.25. A motion to dismiss the grievance "based upon 3.25 licensed personnel grievances" was made, seconded, and approved with all members saying "aye." The board stated the issues had previously been heard and that repeated claims were not grievable under the cited policy; the board recorded no further remedies and closed the case.
The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn.
No dates beyond references in the hearing (for example, a March 17 prior hearing and an email dated 05/29/2025 referenced in argument) were specified for any future board actions in the transcript.
