Letter exposes division among Lee County Schools board members

Published:
Seal of the School District of Lee County. Photo via WINK News.
Seal of the School District of Lee County. Credit: WINK News.

It appears there’s division among the School District of Lee County board members over the Superintendent Dr. Gregory Adkins.

Cathleen Morgan sent out a memo to fellow members. It said the new school board is fracturing other members. But Melisa Giovannelli and Betsy Vaughn strongly disagree.

“It just brings dysfunction to the board and we need to work together for the best of our children,” said Giovannelli, a District 2 member of the board.

“I was shocked,” said Vaughn, a District 6 member of the board. “First of all that she would be that unprofessional. What she portrayed was totally inaccurate.”

In the memo, Morgan writes, she believes the superintendent has been told that he no longer has the confidence of a majority of the board. Additionally, he refuses to work with a divided board.

It raises the question of like Adkins future in Lee County Schools.

“My heart is with this District, the employees and the students and families that we serve every day,” Adkins said. “I am fully committed to them, and to this Board.”

Giovannelli said a workshop tomorrow would include discussing the future vision of the district and expectations for Adkins.

“As long as employees are doing their job, there’s no attacks on anyone,” Giovannelli said. “It’s when an employee is not doing their job that the school district and the school board has to look at those.”

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