LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Jefferson County Board of Education will not provide a third location for a public forum before hiring a new superintendent.
The board is hosting two public hearings later this month with its two finalists for the next superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools.
Monday, six Louisville Metro Council members sent a letter to JCBE Chair Dr. Corrie Shull requesting an additional public Q&A session in the city's south end.
The public forums are scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, from 4-6 p.m. at the Center for Professional Learning in Newburg, and from 7-9 p.m. at Stopher Elementary in the east end.
The council members, who represent the southwestern part of the county, said the hearings are "appreciated and welcomed," but wrote that the timing and distance of them will make it difficult for those who live in the south end to weigh in and ask questions.
"There is a deep concern that the selected locations for these hearings will leave many residents unable to participate," the bipartisan letter read, in part.
That includes residents of neighborhoods such as Shively, Fairdale, Valley Station and Pleasure Ridge Park.
Council members wrote that the current locations and times set for the hearings are not "feasible and/or realistic" for those residents. They cited the commute time as both locations are in the eastern part of the county, and said one of the hearings starts at a time when many people are still at work.
The letter calls for a third site to be added, suggesting PRP High School, Conway or Farnsley middle schools, or the Southwest Government Center as possible locations.
Six Louisville Metro Council members wrote a letter to the Jefferson County Board of Education, asking it to add more public forums before hiring a new superintendent.
"Simply put, we are asking for a forum to be hosted somewhere convenient to (south end) residents ... where nearly 150,000 citizens of the city of Louisville live," the letter concludes. "We are focused on bringing a forum somewhere that the average (south end) resident will feel welcome and included. Our residents deserve to be active participants in this discussion, not virtual attendees."
Councilmembers Tammy Hawkins, D-1; Shameka Parrish-Wright, D-3; Jonathan Joseph, R-12; Dan Seum, R-13; Crystal Bast, R-14; and Khalil Batshon, R-25, signed the letter.
During Tuesday evening's JCBE meeting, Shull said the meeting schedule will not be changing, but they will be livestreamed and the public can interact with the Q&A on the stream. The district also said community members can submit feedback after the meetings, and a recording would later be posted on the district's website, YouTube page and social media accounts.
The board and the Superintendent Screening Committee selected Ben Shuldiner and Dr. H. Brian Yearwood as the top two candidates for the next superintendent of Kentucky's largest school district.
The district launched a national search for its next superintendent following outgoing JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio's announcement last September that he would be stepping down July 1 this year after nearly three decades with the district, serving as superintendent since 2017.
Last month, Ivy Tech announced Pollio would take over as the 10th president of Indiana's statewide community college system, starting July 1. Pollio was chosen after a national search, and will succeed Dr. Sue Ellspermann, who is retiring in June after nearly a decade.
For more information, such as the superintendent search timeline, click here.
Previous Coverage:
JCPS superintendent finalists include former Missouri leader with $667K buyout
JCPS announces 2 finalists in search for district's next superintendent
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