Judge hears NAFA's consent decree plea

A federal judge heard the concerns of a group of Monroe City Schools parents and alumni Monday.

In late January, the Neville Alumni and Friends Association, Greg Jones and Nici Hanks appealed for the court for permission to be involved in the consent decree. A memorandum to the appeal included statements from three Monroe City School Board members — Bill Willson, Vickie Dayton and Jennifer Haneline.

NAFA, Jones and Hanks hold that the school board is not representing their best interests with the way it has handled the consent decree. The documents filed with the court stated that the plaintiffs contest the board using the Educational Planning Group as the independent court monitor and the medical magnet program experts, but testimony from Jones, Hanks and NAFA board member Dwayne Ludley implied they are beyond trying to oust EPG and merely want a role in overseeing the desegregation proceedings.

That appeal was approved on Feb. 2 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Hayes but rescinded on Feb. 3. U.S. District Judge Robbie James was named the only judge to hear the matter.

Brent Vidrine, superintendent of Monroe City Schools, testified that bills received from EPG have been inconsistent with what was required by the consent decree. He noted that hours billed in total for one of three subcontractors are not consistent with the hours worked listed in the individual line items.

He said he brought his concerns about a March 1 invoice from EPG in a meeting with representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, five board members and EPG. He said the board members present instructed him to carefully review the invoices and told EPG to submit an invoice in line with court requirements. The invoice EPG submitted March 10, Vidrine said, still billed the same total number of hours. No partial hours are noted. Two of the three EPG members billed seven hours to read the consent decree. The third billed eight hours to read it.

Vidrine said he sent an email to board members outlining his concerns about exorbitant billing from EPG on March 22 and got a reply from board Vice President Brenda Shelling on March 24 stating that she had discussed it with board President Rodney McFarland, and he said EPG should be paid.

Shelling, in her testimony, said she did not personally review Vidrine's email because she didn't want to. She said she relied on McFarland's council on the matter.

Shelling said she has reconsidered her role as an appointed liaison between the board and EPG, citing negativity and discord among the board. She said the black board members want the district out from under the consent decree.

Vidrine said he did not directly discuss his concerns with EPG beyond telling the members that his office was still reviewing the invoices. He said because the board voted to hire EPG in December, then held a re-vote in December, he waited to send them some information until board attorney Doug Lawrence gave approval.

Vidrine also said he thinks EPG is holding up the consent decree process by requesting the information that has been provided repeatedly.

The hiring of EPG was vehemently protested by multiple board members and members of the public at meetings Dec. 15 and Jan. 7.

Shelling said at the Dec. 15 meeting when she originally suggested hiring EPG, she didn't even know the groups name. She said other board members hadn't done due diligence in preparing their own suggestions for the meeting.

In their testimonies, neither Jones, Hanks nor Ludley offered concrete plans for how to help the district get out from under the consent decree, but they said they wanted to make sure that the staffs at good schools, such as Neville High School and Lee Junior High aren't altered purely because of race.

Lawrence said an ongoing problem is that people assume that for less successful schools to be improved, already successful schools must suffer, which is not the case or the goal.

James said he will submit a written ruling.

Judge OKs MCSB deadline extension

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MCSB OKs new consent decree dates

Follow the story:

• City School Board meeting turns contentious
• MCSB votes to send deseg proposal to judge
• Judge OKs Monroe schools consent decree
• 2 MCSB members leave meeting early
• McFarland sets new vote on consultants
• MCSB to vote on deseg hires Thursday
• MCSB votes to hire contested consultants
• ULM will not partner on MCSB program
• 3 MCSB members say they're being excluded
• MCSB fails to make quorum
• MCSB tax misses April 9 ballot
• DOJ to vet all three MCSB candidates
• DOJ approves all 3 MCSB candidates
• MCSB OK's expelled teens' return to Neville
• MCSB to meet with federal judge Monday
• MCSB holds special session
• Neville group files motion in deseg case
• 2-hour MCSB executive session covers consent decree
• Court: Neville OK to intervene in MCSB case
• One judge to handle all of MCSB consent decree
• MCSB audit shows 2 findings
• Monroe City schools recommended for accreditation
• State budget crisis could affect Monroe schools
• MCSB OKs new consent decree dates
• Judge OKs MCSB deadline extension