Jackey blasts board members’ conduct in resignation of seat on board of education
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023 — Damon Jackey, a 15-year veteran of the Nelson County Schools board of education, resigned Tuesday night at the end of the board’s meeting.
Jackey represents the county’s 5th district on the school board.
His resignation came at the end of a raucous board meeting that had the board majority vote to move forward with a plan that will merge the two high schools on the Nelson County High School campus.
Board members David Norman, Diane Berry and Amanda Deaton all walked out of the meeting while Jackey spoke. Only members of the audience and board member Tracy Bowling remained to listen to Jackey’s statement.
In his statement, Jackey cited numerous grievances he has with current board chair Diane Berry, and the board’s newest members, David Norman and Amanda Deaton.
Jackey accused board members Berry, Norman, and Deaton of having taken “approaches at every turn to stifle guest comments,” suggesting that the move was designed to shield herself, Deaton and Norman from critical comments by parents and teachers.
“This approach has NEVER occurred at previous Nelson County School Board meetings over the past 15 years,” Jackey wrote. “And history shows this approach is never taken except when someone wants to hide something.”
He was critical of what he called Berry’s “lack of professional leadership,” and that requests for the board to take part in team building exercises “have fallen on deaf ears of certain board members.”
Jackey said some board members’ actions were “unethical and possibly illegal.”
For example, when a board member shared personnel information with others not on the board, and another time when a board member contacted an attorney regarding the question of buying out Superintendent Wes Bradley’s contract.
In another instance, a board member berated Central Office employees and threatened an employee’s employment.
“This is the simplest thing that a first-year Board member is taught — it is illegal for us to become involved in hiring and definitely firing decisions.”
Jackey ended his statement with an apology for the fact he hadn’t had time to respond to the many emails he had recently received this past weekend.
“It wasn’t because I was ignoring your voice, insight and opinions like the majority of this board continue to do.”
REPLACING JACKEY. Within 60 days, the remaining members of the board of education will vote on the candidate who will fill Jackey’s vacant seat.
Within 30 days of the vacancy, the board will solicit for applications for the seat.
Anyone seeking to apply must file a letter of intent, affirming they meet the legal requirements to serve on the board.
The board will select from applicants who complete the process, and the final action to fill the vacancy must take place in an open meeting.
If the board fails to choose a board member within 60 days, the Kentucky Commissioner of Education will make the appointment.
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