Special assistant to MSCS superintendent Feagins resigns
by: Brian Didlake, David Royer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The woman who was hired this year as Special Assistant to Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Marie Feagins has resigned after just four months.
Camalyn Turner was announced as Special Assistant to the Superintendent in June.
Her last day with the district will be Oct. 22, according to her letter of resignation sent Tuesday to Senior Leaders and Team Members, and obtained by WREG. She did not detail a reason for her departure.
Turner previously held a similar position with Atlanta Public Schools, according to MSCS.
This is the second recent resignation from a high-ranking member of Feagins’ staff. In August, George Harris, Executive Director of Safety and Security, announced he was stepping away for “personal reasons” after security staff members threatened a strike.
A spokesperson for Feagins told WREG she had no statement at this time.
But during an interview on the school district’s radio station, 88.5, she did take the time to defend recent controversial staffing cuts.
“What I have only offered and what I continue to say is, trust me until I give you a reason not to,” Feagins said. “I don’t wake up trying to harm anyone, you know to cause any dissention nor strife.”
The news of another top MSCS leader leaving came as a surprise to school board vice-chair Joyce Dorse-Coleman, who sent us a statement saying, “I like so many others am just hearing this shocking news. No details have been given to the board. We wish Ms. Turner nothing, but the best.”
State Rep. G.A. Hardaway says with any change there may be disruptions, but he says the school board hired Dr. Feagins for a reason.
“I don’t think it is anything unusual about having upheaval when you switch CEOs and top people,” Hardaway said. “One thing I have learned is, until you have been in that seat and until you are actually dealing with the personnel, we don’t want to second guess our superintendent.”
State Rep. Jesse Chism urged patience when it came to Feagins.
“A duly elected school board brought her in, and we want to give her a little time to get done the things that they’re trying to do, so it’s going to take some patience from everyone,” Chism said.
This latest resignation comes just one day after school board members discussed changing how they evaluate the new superintendent.
Some want to change the guidelines so she is graded more heavily on her staff relations.
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