College Station parents, teachers protest Rock Prairie principal reassignment, urge board to address teacher morale

Dozens of parents, current and former teachers and other community members urged the College Station Independent School District Board of Trustees on April 15 to reverse the reassignment of Rock Prairie Elementary principal Jeff Durand and to address what they called declining teacher morale tied to the district's professional learning community (PLC) rollout.

The speakers said PLC implementation, a contract with Solutions Tree and loss of uninterrupted teacher planning time have increased teachers' workloads, produced what several described as a 'culture of fear' and prompted midyear resignations. Yi Chen Kwon, reading a statement from a teacher she identified as the 'teacher Lorax,' told the board that state law guarantees planning time and said the district's 'district of innovation' status has allowed the loss of that time. ''Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not,' Kwon read.

Why it matters: speakers said the leadership decision at Rock Prairie has ripple effects for classroom stability, teacher retention and student learning. Multiple parents and former and current staff said they feared retaliation if they spoke publicly and asked the board for greater transparency, more campus autonomy and a pause or review of districtwide professional development requirements.

Parents and staff described specific concerns about workload and support. Brad Brimley, who identified himself as the parent of four children who have attended Rock Prairie, said the district budget shows growing administrative costs. 'Compared to five years ago, the funds allocated to the district's general administration this year have increased by 51 percent; funds allocated to instruction have increased by only 22 percent; campus administration funds have increased by about 6 percent,' Brimley said. He attributed the figures to conversations with teachers and parents.

Several speakers named the Solutions Tree professional development contract as a source of extra training and meetings that have reduced teachers' planning time. Andrea Buck, a Rock Prairie parent, cited the demotion or reassignment of the Rock Prairie principal as a specific catalyst for the community's concern and called for the board to 'reconsider' the personnel action. 'Reinstating principal Duran might feel like a hard U-turn, but I believe it would be a courageous one,' she said.

Principal Jeff Duran spoke to the board and the public near the end of the comment period. He thanked families and said he would focus on guiding his campus through the final weeks of the school year.

Superintendent Dr. Harkrider and board leadership addressed the meeting later. Board President Horak acknowledged the community's interest and said the board does not take direct action on personnel matters but is made aware of concerns brought forward by district administration. He said campus leaders are evaluated and that the intent of the support process is to give campus leaders opportunities to be successful; he declined to discuss personnel specifics.

What speakers asked for: callers asked the board to (1) increase transparency and communication about personnel and program decisions, (2) pause or review districtwide PLC/Solutions Tree implementation and consider summer training options that would not reduce in-day planning time, (3) restore or protect uninterrupted planning time for classroom teachers, (4) investigate allegations of retaliation and potential conflicts of interest raised by several speakers, and (5) prioritize resources for classroom instruction and campus-level leadership.

The board did not announce any personnel reversals during the meeting. Several people who spoke said they would continue to press the board for clarification and follow-up.

Ending: The board moved on to the published agenda after public comment and later approved several consent and budget-related items in open session. Formal personnel actions and personnel deliberations continued in executive session and later produced separate votes recorded on the public docket.