Local school superintendents such as Walker County’s Damon Raines rarely have accompanying “walk-up music”, much like a star athlete or campaigning politician would have, making their entrance to a waiting audience.
But in light of the past two Walker County Board of Education meetings with Raines the subject of executive sessions involving personnel matters; Superintendent Raines may want to adopt The Supremes’ rendition of “You Keep Me Hanging On”, just in case.
Monday night at a regularly scheduled board meeting, held at LaFayette High School’s Media Center, Raines once again was the supposed topic of discussion behind closed doors, in a 35 minute long executive session.
It comes on the heels of last Friday morning’s specially called meeting and two hour long executive session, with the Superintendent’s future leading the school system seemingly on the line.
Both Friday and Monday night’s meetings concluded with the board voting to defer any action on the personnel matter discussed during executive session.
In both instances, a large crowd, nearly the entirety of which were there to speak out in support for the embattled superintendent, did just that.
Teachers and students commended Superintendent Raines for his personable approach to the job while imploring board members not to jeopardize the current harmony they say Raines has orchestrated in their learning environments.
“I’m at the table and willing to do whatever we need to do, I just don’t know if that’s where everybody (on the board) is at this point but I’m confident we will get there”, said Raines as he thanked his throngs of supporters as they departed.
Candidly, Raines admitted he was more concerned about his job security last Friday than he felt during Monday’s executive session.
“I love what I do,” said Raines to the question of working under a perceived Damocles Sword. “I get up every morning to work, it’s not a job. I think I need to be in school every single day, so this is just a sideways distraction.”
Without elaborating on the accusations he’s facing, Superintendent Raines says he hopes to continue to have conversations with the board, despite the apparent differences with some of the members, whom he did not identify.
Barring another specially called session, the school board’s Superintendent Raines investigation will simmer on the backburner until the next Walker County Board of Education meeting, slated for November 18th.
BY Vince Lennon
