The political landscape within the Memphis-Shelby County School (MSCS) district is rife with contention as tensions between the school board and the Shelby County Board of Commissioners intensify. In recent developments, District 12 Commissioner Erika Sugarmon and Commissioner Amber Mills have decided to take a firm stance by co-sponsoring a resolution for a "no confidence" vote against the MSCS Board, a measure they believe necessary given the current disciplinary proceedings aimed at Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins.
The "no confidence" vote is scheduled to occur at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 8, as confirmed in a statement by Local Memphis. The decision from the MSCS Board to postpone a vote on terminating Dr. Feagins' contract until later January will leave her additional time to address their allegations. Sugarmon underscored the importance of Dr. Feagins' role, noting her commitment to the students, teachers, and community, criticizing the board's "hasty actions".
Apart from the confidence issue, a separate vote on a 90-day moratorium on funding for the construction of a new Frayser high school is also on the table for the commissioners. This second vote, which Sugarmon and Mills also back, is expected to take place shortly after the "no confidence" vote on the same day. The pause in funding is likely an additional measure to signal disapproval of the school board's conduct; it was first passed a day before the public meeting to vote on Dr. Feagins' contract was scheduled, according to Local Memphis.
Mills, vocal in her opposition to the board's attempt to discharge Superintendent Feagins, emphasized her astonishment at the handling of the meeting on December 17. "I'm just floored from the meeting from December 17 and the way it was handled," Mills told FOX13. Dr. Feagins has become a polarizing figure since assuming the role of superintendent, with some community members challenging the significant changes she's implemented, including layoffs and cuts to contracts within the district. However, her supporters, like Sugarmon, argue that the "baseless accusations and personal grievances" form the foundation of the commission's call for a no-confidence vote against the school board for its effort to remove Feagins, as detailed in a statement given by Sugarmon to Action News 5.
As the community awaits the outcome of these critical votes, the underlying debate and division within the MSCS Board contrast the deep investment in education that some of Shelby County's leaders evidenced. The fate of Dr. Feagins continues to hang in the balance with a termination vote set for January 21 and the expectation that she will submit her official response to the allegations tomorrow, according to her attorney, as reported by Action News 5.
