Parents, teachers and PTO president press board for answers after Deckard Elementary midyear reassignment

Multiple Deckard Elementary parents and community members used the public-comment period to press the Franklin County School Board for details after a midyear reassignment of a teacher at their school.

Jasmine Mosley, who identified herself as a Deckard parent, said her child is now "top of his class" after receiving RTI support under the teacher and asked why parents were not told before the staff change. "Why would the parents not be allowed to weigh in on such a decision?" she asked, calling the reassignment a reputational attack on the teacher.

Johnny Barber, the Deckard PTO president, said his grandson improved 100% while at Deckard and that the teacher "was always taking care of them." Andre Hall Finney, a first-year Deckard teacher, described the reassigned staff member as a mentor and pleaded that the change should not have been made in the middle of the school year.

The board chair responded during the meeting that the board does not handle individual personnel matters: "this board doesn't have anything to do with personnel issues. Those issues fall solely on the office of the director," the chair said, and therefore the board was limited in what it could do at that meeting.

Speakers asked for clearer communication and for the district to explain the reasons and timeline for the reassignment. The record shows parents repeatedly requested clarity and a written explanation; the board moved on to other agenda items after stating its limited authority over personnel.

Next steps: Community members requested follow-up; the transcript records no direct board action to investigate or reverse the reassignment at this meeting.