MSCS school board member responds to lawsuit filed by former superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins
Desmond Nugent
MSCS school board member Michelle McKissack wants the public to know she was not involved in what led up to Dr. Feagins being fired last month.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis-Shelby County School Board member responded to a lawsuit filed by former superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins, who claims that several board members violated the Tennessee Open Meetings Act in their efforts to have her ousted from the position.
MSCS board member Michelle McKissack addressed the allegations, distancing herself from the controversy for the first time since the lawsuit was filed. McKissack stated she was not involved in any actions that led to Dr. Feagins’ termination.
“We should not be putting politics and personal agendas over the public, and the needs of our children,” McKissack said. “I’m not apart of any of this. I am just like everyone else where I’m surprised by the allegations. I’ve been surprised since this all started back in December with the termination resolution.”
Dr. Feagins was dismissed as the superintendent January 21, 2024, filed a 31-page lawsuit that alleges multiple board members met in secret, breaching the Tennessee Open Meetings Act. The lawsuit specifically names former board member Althea Greene and current members Sable Otey, Towanna Murphy, Stephanie Love, Natalie McKinney, and Joyce Dorse Coleman as part of the alleged coordinated effort to remove Feagins.
The Tennessee Open Meetings Act is a state law designed to ensure transparency in government. It requires that meetings of public bodies such as school boards and city councils be open to the public. The law also mandates that notice of meetings be given in advance and that discussions and decisions be conducted in public, allowing citizens to observe and participate in government processes.
Deborah Fisher, an executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government explained the significance of the case, stating that if a court finds the school board violated the law, the consequences could be far-reaching.
“The key word here is deliberate, and the courts have said deliberate means to weigh the pros and cons for or against a proposed action,” Fisher said.
Fisher said that if a judge rules in favor of Dr. Feagins, it could change the scope of her termination.
“It could make the vote on the issue that they discussed secretly to be null and void,” Fisher said.
Fisher added if a judge said the MSCS school board violated the Open Meetings ACT, the board could go under a court order so that action is not repeated.
The MSCS school board attorney, Robert Spence said he will not make a comment until they have been served the lawsuit filed by Dr. Feagins.
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