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Parents, teachers press Asheville City Schools board on raises, morale and leadership at Isaac Dixon
Summary
Dozens of speakers urged the Asheville City Schools board to boost pay for classified staff, investigate leadership at Isaac Dixon and formalize staff input via Meet & Confer, saying fear of retaliation and low morale are driving departures.
Dozens of parents, teachers and district employees used the extended public-comment period at the Asheville City Schools board meeting to press officials for higher pay for classified staff and oversight of school leadership, especially at Isaac Dixon Elementary.
"Classified staff are the hidden backbone of our schools and are often undervalued in appreciation, respect, and especially in direct compensation," Jennifer Bayer read on behalf of a classroom instructional assistant, urging the board to "prioritize classified staff pay raises." Several speakers repeated a specific request from the Asheville City Association of Educators for a $1.50-per-hour raise for classified employees.
Multiple commenters who identified themselves as parents or read anonymous staff statements described an atmosphere of fear and low morale at Isaac Dixon. Burke Heisen, an Isaac Dixon parent, told the board the community is "demanding oversight," saying the appointment of a principal that—according to speakers—overrode a selection committee was undermining trust.
An anonymous staff letter read by Hannah Trinity said the writer feared retaliation and described encounters that, the letter said, "brought fear into students," prompting the board chair to remind speakers that personnel and student matters are confidential and not appropriate for public comment.
Supporters of the district's Meet & Confer (MCC) process urged the board to formalize that advisory channel. Bets Ki, the MCC elementary representative, described recent MCC wins—including an inclement-weather compensation policy and a telework policy to protect staff without leave—and asked the board to make MCC a permanent part of district decision-making.
Other speakers called for clearer budget priorities so that programs such as arts and CTE are not forced to compete for scarce resources, and urged transparency about a district feasibility study and upcoming town halls tied to possible school reconfigurations.
The board extended the public-comment period to accommodate all speakers and did not take immediate action during the meeting beyond reminders about confidential-reporting channels and the invitation to meet with the superintendent after the meeting. Several parents said they are considering withdrawing their children from Isaac Dixon if the board does not respond with clearer accountability and concrete steps to address staff concerns.
