MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members postponed a decision Tuesday on whether to terminate the contract of superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins.
The board held a special-called meeting to discuss one thing: whether to fire the superintendent who has only been with the district since April 2024. She joined MSCS from Detroit Public Schools Community District where she served as chief of leadership and high schools.
During her time at MSCS, Dr. Feagins has received criticism for job cuts, communications, and personnel moves. At least four staff members who joined to work directly with Feagins left the district a short time later.
A resolution presented at Tuesday’s meeting provided a list of allegations made by some board members against Feagins.
Here’s a breakdown of those allegations and how Dr. Feagins responded.
The allegations
The resolution to terminate Dr. Feagins employment contract claimed that there was “professional misconduct by Dr. Feagins that violates the terms of the Contract.”
Among the allegations:
- She’s accused of misleading the board and public when she told the board that MSCS had paid $1 million in overtime wages for time not actually worked. The resolution claimed Feagins never presented evidence to back that up, and never corrected or clarified the statement.
- She accepted a $45,000+ donation without board approval, and “misrepresented her knowledge of and involvement in depositing the unapproved donation check in violation of Board Policy.”
- She was dishonest when stating that some federal grant funds were still available for MSCS despite “failing to obligate the funds prior to the required deadline.”
- The resolution also accused Feagins of “patterns of behavior that are not conducive to the effective operation of the District in the best interest of students.” It claimed she refused to communicate and cooperate with MSCS partners and failed to report significant matters to the Board.
The resolution claimed that Feagins conduct constitutes professional misconduct and is a breach of her contract.
Dr. Feagins’ response
During her rebuttal Tuesday, Feagins thanked supporters and called the allegation baseless.
“The stakes are high, the status of education, but certainly with Memphis-Shelby County Schools, could not be any higher than they are right now,” Dr. Feagins said as she opened her remarks. “I have said time and time again if I’m ever the barrier I would leave. No one would have to dismiss me. No one can hold me more accountable and to higher standards than I hold myself.”
"I had yet to see this resolution," she continued. "What I have heard is meritless, is baseless. I’ve been transparent about it and can refute every single thing that has been stated.”
- About overtime:
- “I want to be very clear that what I shared about overtime I provided at least three years of data to the Board that has never been reported before, and as several board members have shared with me, much of my information, my desire to be transparent, has been weaponized against me,” said Feagins. “I shared with the board about overtime, that the district in my review with the team, demonstrated excessive payments in overtime. I never accused an employee. I never accused any individual. What I did share is that would require an investigation and that was not my desire. What I did share is that offered an opportunity to institute and implement better processes and protocols and practices so that we are better fiscally responsible with the funds that are given to us. $5.5 million from July 2023 to June 2024 were paid out in overtime. As of today, we are nowhere near that. That came from implementing protocols, and folks like security, transportation, nutrition, and anyone else that still needs overtime, I look at the report every month, they still receive overtime. Overtime has not been declined or denied. It is a simple way to manage the funds which the district is responsible for.”
- About the $45,000 donation:
- “As it concerns a check from School Seed, Leadership Development Institute took place in July. The District requested the funds that were solicited on our behalf from School Seed to be given to the District. Donations and policy above $15,000 require the Board’s approval. The individual who receives it stated it as an oversight. I owned it as superintendent, because again, everything sits with the superintendent. I asked the Board on record may I have the will of the Board to have the conversation with the administration – this particular team member – offline because I wanted to respect my team. The Board honored that. I had the conversation. I gave grace, we talked about a better way forward and how we don’t have these types of oversights again. That individual is in the room and I still respect the team member. We sent the funds back because it was not worth public scrutiny. The funds sit with School Seed, still available to be utilized for Leadership Development week as they were originally allotted. Nothing took pace out of order.”
- About the grant funds:
- “To talk about a grant that we never received, I was incredibly honest. We missed the deadline. I don’t pursue grants. But I did take the onus because everything sits with the superintendent. The grant deadline was Sept. 30. Funds had to be obligated. Obligated means there’s an executed contract or a purchase order. The item was submitted to me for review for the October business meeting. That means we never had a contract. What I did not do is commit the district to more than $300,000 because that could have me here for termination. What I did ask the team is, was there any other way we could spend the funds in alignment with houselessness or homelessness. They shared yes and they began to do the research. What we have asked the state to do is allow us to still allocate the funds in a different way that did not require a contract. The state honored that. The team spent hours finding funds and expenditures that we utilize before Sept. 30 to utilize these funds on a reimbursable basis. We never received a grant. The grant was for a reimbursable expense for anything connected to homelessness.”
Feagins continued by addressing concerns about culture, saying, “To sit here today and have it alluded that suicide is my responsibility and that I created a culture that someone wants to create suicide is the most insulting and disheartening thing I think I’ve ever heard.”
“I am not a victim. I came to do a job that I was called to do, that I responded to do, and we have been doing it well with a team that has not stopped running since Day 1.”
"I appreciate my team for going the distance," Feagins said. "I'm not apologetic for wanting more for the 901."
Feagins ended her comments by saying she would let her attorney handle the results of the decision.
Ultimately the board decided to postpone the vote until January 14, sending it to committee which will allow Feagins time to officially respond to the allegations.
