Five minutes. That’s all Jackie Harling needed to set the room on fire. In a breathless verbal assault, the no-nonsense chairwoman of the Walker County GOP took no prisoners. Constrained by the restrictive time limit, Harling blitzed through a resolution passed by the party censuring three school board members for their recent vote to extend Superintendent Raines' contract. Adding her own statement to close, her words hit like a sledgehammer, exposing the brazen conflicts of interest and denouncing the affront to core American principles. Read both below.
Note: It's 2024, and yet Superintendent Raines refuses to live stream or record meetings, unlike other local governments and school districts. Undeterred and at the request of teachers and parents, I hired a videographer to capture the proceedings. Unfortunately the setup options for video were poor and the audio quality from the useless microphones was atrocious. The expensive new central office is a disgrace as long as this stands. Constituents deserve to see and hear everything clearly. The setup is so poor it seems designed to limit visibility and audibility, practically begging for a lawsuit under the clear requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
For some background on the mounting issues in Walker County Schools see the following articles. From toxic lead contamination, to lies to board members and parents, the evidence of failed leadership is ubiquitous.
Board Member’s Outcry Over Superintendent Contract Extension
Walker County Schools Executive Sessions Violate Open Meetings Laws
Walker School Board & Leadership Ravaged By Nepotism and Ethics Dilemmas
Misplaced Priorities & Trust Lost: Walker County Schools Response to Lead Contamination
Audits of Walker County Schools Omit Key Required Information
Walker GOP Drops the Hammer on 3 School Board Members!