Citizens frustrated with KCCC administration

MOUNT VERNON — Dozens of concerned citizens met Thursday to discuss on-going issues centered on the Knox County Career Center. While the elimination of the engineering drafting program remains a concern for the public, community members are also troubled about what they see as the systematic dismantling of the career center as a whole. That, they said, does not just affect the students at the career center, it is bad for the community as a whole.

Frustrated because the board of education — as a whole but not necessarily individually — is perceived by the public to be unresponsive to students, parents, staff members, business advisors and community members, the people are mobilizing forces to “save the career center.”

First and foremost, the group wants the harassment and humiliation of students and faculty members to stop. Several parents related incidents in which their children were publicly chastised by Superintendent Bernie Pachmayer or Director Robert Kirk in a manner the parents felt was more bullying than corrective. Parents said they are afraid to present their concerns to school officials for fear that would cause even more trouble for their child.

It was mentioned that certain faculty members have been treated by Pachmayer and Kirk in a similarly demeaning and disrespectful fashion. Apparently, KCCC personnel who stand up for what they believe in and advocate for what they, as experienced educators, feel is best for kids, are being methodically targeted by administrators; for instance, being given negative evaluations and being called insubordinate for speaking out or disagreeing with Pachmayer or Kirk. Other teachers are afraid to speak up for fear of losing their jobs.

Next, the group wants to see some changes in the administration and the running of the school. It questioned why there are six administrators when most schools operate with half that number. Individuals expressed concern that administrators are frequently absent during school hours and rely on others to perform what should be administrative functions. They are upset that faculty concerns regarding teaching to state standards are often cavalierly dismissed by “educationally incompetent” administrators [Pachmayer and Kirk].

The community members believe the school board should be more directly and personally aware of what is happening at the school and not simply rely on what Pachmayer tells them. For example, someone said the “fuss” is not all about union rabble-rousing, contrary to what Pachmayer has told the board.

“They know she [Pachmayer] lied before,” someone said, “and they apparently don’t care.”

Members of the public also talked about possible ways to reconfigure the school board itself so that it is more representative of the school districts it is supposed to serve.

The third main issue centered on finances. The attendees said there needs to be more open accountability for specific expenses and for how public taxpayer dollars are being spent by the administration.

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