Students walk out of Thomas Nelson High School in protest of potential merger, district to close Thursday amid staff shortage

NELSON COUNTY, Ky. (WDRB) -- Nelson County Schools will be closed Thursday over what it calls staffing vacancies.

The district had over 200 vacancies reported across the district for Thursday.

The announcement came hours after more than 350 Thomas Nelson High School students walked out of class Wednesday to protest a potential merger that would combine the school with Nelson County High School.

"It makes me feel like I'm not important," Raeann Nix, a junior at Thomas Nelson, said. "It feels like my education isn't important."

At Tuesday's Nelson County Schools Board of Education meeting, district superintendent Wes Bradley introduced the preliminary "Connected Campus Plan" that would merge Thomas Nelson High School and Nelson County High School.

"Me and my mom went to the board meeting," Thomas Nelson junior JT Cammack said. "We weren't really pleased with what happened. This is our home. We need to stay here."

While the plans are preliminary, Cammack felt the urge to take a stand and organized a walkout for his peers.

"I'm worried about the people under me," Cammack said. "The freshmen and the 8th graders won't have the same opportunities if we go to Nelson County."

While Cammack said he's looking out for his underclassmen, others rallied for their beloved teachers. However, Thomas Nelson Principal Curt Merrifield said it's not clear how the merger will impact teachers and staff.

"Of course I have concerns about our staff and our teachers," Merrifield said. "But I also have concerns for our students, too."

There's no timeline for a possible merger, but teachers and administrators said they're proud of their students for speaking up on Wednesday. No students will be punished for protesting.

"Students understand they have a voice," Merrifield said. "This is their way of being heard."

The school has two counselors and sensory-safe spaces available for students who feel overwhelmed with the noise from the walkout or the news of the potential school merger.

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nelson County Schools said it had more than 200 teacher and staff vacancies, closing schools for Thursday, Oct. 19.

In a letter, Superintendent Bradley apologized for any inconvenience the closures may cause.

"We understand the importance of consistent and high-quality education for your children, and regret any disruptions caused. I can assure you that our teachers and staff across the district work as hard as anyone in the state of Kentucky and want the best for all students," Bradley said, adding that because of the vacancies, the district wouldn't have been able to "safely and effectively deliver academic and operation experiences for students."

"Our teachers and staff are the backbone of our educational system, and their well-being and concerns are of the utmost importance to us," he continued.

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