Outraged parents showed up in full force on Thursday night to voice frustrations against Superintendent David McGehee and members of the Board of Education.
A meeting was held at the Leadership Center, where some who arrived late were forced to stand due to the big turnout.
Huge turnout for @cityofLS school board meeting. Many parents fed up with salary increase for superintendent pic.twitter.com/GjdWWqVN1i
— Tom Dempsey (@KCTomDempsey) April 14, 2016
McGehee is facing heat after the school board voted to offer him a new contract worth around $400,000 a year. The contract would make McGehee the highest paid school superintendent in all of Missouri.
On Thursday night, many parents spoke and shouted at the meeting, saying the money being used in McGehee’s raise could be better used for schools and teachers.
“The issues are our kids. Kids should be first,” explained Ronda Brown, a mother of two students who brought protest signs to the meeting. “The question should be, what could we do to make the schools better for our kids?"
Board of Education member Bill Baird brought the issue to attention after reporting that the contract was voted on by board members behind closed doors without public input.
On Thursday, the Board of Education voted 4-3 to not open discussion on the contract in front of the public.
McGehee’s contract was far from the only issue parents brought up at the meeting.
Many people brought up issue with McGehee’s relationship with a school district attorney.
Last summer, McGehee told board members of his romantic relationship with Shellie Guin, a lawyer with a firm that handles legal work for the school district.
Baird raised concerns about the relationship, saying it created a conflict of interest for school and legal matters.
Over $10,000 was spent on an outside firm to look into seeing if there was truly a conflict of interest due to the relationship. Investigators ruled the relationship did not violate any policy.
On Thursday, Baird was not alone in coming out against McGehee.
“Lee's Summit Board of Education, you have a big problem,” said one woman while speaking to members. “Right now, you are doing what's typically called a bully pulpit!"
Other crowd members called for changes to be made.
Man calls for recall of @cityofLS school board pic.twitter.com/wA7IzVl43q
— Tom Dempsey (@KCTomDempsey) April 15, 2016
“You have one or two choices. I'm either going to file an injunction to cease this school board completely, or ask the people to do a recall!” shouted a man.
The passion and frustration from many parents were easy to see, but time will tell how much of an impact the turnout will have.
McGehee’s contract now only needs the superintendent’s signature to become official.
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Tom Dempsey can be reached at Tom.Dempsey@KSHB.com.
