Community leaders react to lawmaker leaking next JCPS superintendent
The JCPS Board's pick for the next superintendent was leaked Friday morning, before the contract was signed.
State Rep. Jason Nemes says he didn't know it wasn't public knowledge before congratulating H. Brian Yearwood on Facebook.
On Tuesday, Yearwood and the other final candidate, Ben Shuldiner, met with and answered questions from district officials and JCPS families.
The JCPS Board met in a closed-door session Thursday and made their pick, but they declined to release the name until after the contract was negotiated and signed.
On Friday, community leaders felt frustrated that the information was released on social media before the district released it.
"Anyone who understands these kinds of processes, anyone that understands these kinds of searches, knows you don't go on social media before the JCPS board selection committee or the group has been able to put the word out there," said Tim Findley, pastor at Kingdom Fellowship Christian Life Center and ElderServe CEO. "To me, it speaks as though there's an attempt to undermine the leadership. It's an attempt to undermine trust."
"Because what we have gotten from this board has been an incredible, transparent, community-engaged process," said Lyndon Pryor, the CEO and president of the Louisville Urban League. "And, you know, I think they deserve the right to be able to give that information in the way in which they see fit. But that's it. You know, I'm glad that there is a decision that has been made so this community can move forward with the success of the district."
Over the phone, Rep. Nemes told 비바카지노 Viva it was not intentional.
He says five people gave him this information, and he was not told it was confidential.
He says instead, it was an attempt to show support for Yearwood.
He felt the community had reservations about Yearwood, given his separation agreement with his last district.
Nemes said he wanted to use his leadership role to show support early on.
Pryor says now that the information is out, the focus of everyone in the community, from business leaders, staff, families, and more, should be on supporting the next leader.
"All of these are things that we can do and figure out new strategies if we haven't been engaged, or better strategies if we have," he said.
JCPS later confirmed they have extended a contract offer to Yearwood and negotiations are ongoing.
Should Yearwood accept an offer, a special meeting will be called to approve Yearwood as the next JCPS superintendent.
The vote was not unanimous, with the board voting 5-2 on the decision.