MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A new school year is kicking off Monday, Aug. 5, for Memphis-Shelby County Schools and other students in the Memphis area.
This is the first day of school for thousands of students returning to class. It will also mark the start of MSCS superintendent Marie Feagins' full year leading the district, despite questions that continue to linger over teacher vacancies.
Feagins this summer successfully had the MSCS school board approve her plan to cut 1,100 jobs. Half of those jobs were vacant, then reassigned to other positions out of the central office.
Former MSCS board member Kenneth Whalum told ABC24 he believes board members and anyone else should pause on criticizing Feagins until she's completed her first full year as superintendent.
Whalum said parents should be more concerned about making sure their kids make it to their first day of school.
"Children having their butts in the seats that first day, that's how the state tabulates the funding that they're going to send the city and the county," Whalum said.
Whalum said if parents show up to their child's class and the school is not full of teachers or staff, then they have a reason to complain about the needs of the district.
"If when you go to school tomorrow, the teachers aren't there, the staff isn't there, then you have a legitimate cause to raise as much hell as you wanna raise, and you should raise it," he said.
Whalum told ABC24 that although Feagins has received criticism for making unpopular decisions, he believes she's doing what's best for MSCS.
"Let's give the superintendent a chance to do her job without being micromanaged," Whalum said.