MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. –State Superintendent Michele Blatt says that the bad political climate in Mingo County Schools was the deciding factor behind the state Board of Education’s decision to takeover the schools at their Wednesday meeting.
“The political climate around the school system down there was really starting to impact the work in the schools and the things that were taking place, so the state board decided to go ahead and intervene yesterday,” she said on MetroNews Talkline Thursday morning.
This decision comes after an initial Special Circumstance Review was ordered to be done by the WV Department of Accountability on February 17. Alexandra Criner, director of accountability, gave her first findings of the review which prompted the board to make that decision.
She said that in the county they have two very different factions that are interfering with the decision making of the county board which is ultimately disrupting the day-to-day operations of the schools.
She says that this has been interfering with the board’s ability to make decisions.
“There was a lot of issues with them intervening in the hiring contracts, different things that should be the oversight of the state superintendent with information that is brought to their local board for approval,” Blatt said.
She said that she will work together with the school board association in order to correct the problem.
“Initially we will review the agendas for the board of education along with any personnel hires, a close review of all finances and so all of those will have to be approved by us,” Blatt said. “And then we’ll work closely as well with Jim Brown of the School Board Association, so while were running the system, he will begin the trainings and things to try and get the local elected members up to speed on how they should operate as a board.”
Right now, Blatt said she is uncertain how long the intervention will be for. Previously the state board took over the county twice, the first time was from 1998 to 2002 and again from 2005 to 2014, for similar issues.
She says that as they continue their review, they could find other issues.
“The problem we run into once we get into the system, then you start uncovering other things and so the list just kind of grows of areas that need to be addressed,” Blatt said.
Once their review is done, an official report will be made available.