Tensions Continue In MCSB Voicemail Controversy
By: Alanna Quillen
Updated: December 6, 2012
MONROE -- The tensions continue inside the Monroe City School District -- involving a conversation caught on tape.
The school board engaged in a heated meeting to discuss the conversation and now, one member tells NBC 10 News no resolution has been made yet.
Tthis community is at an uproar right now," said board member Bishop Rodney McFarland.
An uproar because of a voice mail -- one that sounds simple at first, but what's heard later is causing tension in the district -- after school board member's Vickie Krutzer's phone didn't hang up completely.
Excerpt from the voice mail: "I mean Vickie, are any of these n*****s have an iq above ten? Does he have a problem? Everybody in this community, black and white...Well, let me ask you this....It's absurd to have McFarland in charge of anything, does it make any difference whether...(inaudible)."
It's not known who the male voice in the recording is -- but Monroe City Schools chief accountant, Davonna Howard, filed a complaint with the district last week -- asking Krutzer no longer contact her and accusing the board member of creating a hostile work environment.
"As I submit this complaint to you, it's my deepest and sincere hope that the actions of the Monroe city school board member Vickie Krutzer, are not taken lightly," said board president Verbon Muhammad in Tuesday night's meeting, meant to address the complaint and voice mail.
But McFarland says nothing was resolved in that meeting.
"We failed to carry a motion," he said. "It kinda just slipped by us because of the heat of the moment."
He says the motion to sanction Krutzer was not carried by the board president. However, that may come up in the next meeting agenda, where McFarland says the board will try to carry on where they left off.
"Because we need to resolve this issue, it's still an ongoing issue," he said.
Some folks in the community say they disagree.
"I think it's very sad, I feel like the direction needs to be more targeted toward spending our energy finding a superintendent for the children, and working hard and getting the right person in office instead of bantering back and forth about personal agendas," said Monroe resident Keysha McDonald.
Rachel DeMoss has three kids attending Monroe City Schools, and said she wants the focus to be on the students.
"We do need to a new superintendent, we need to get on that and find someone who's qualified to take care of our children," she said. "There's things that need to be taken care of and fighting about things and getting into heated conversations at a school board meeting isn't the way to handle it."
McFarland says there may be plans on filing a lawsuit.
"To make such a statement that was heartbreaking and no apology was offered, it might be a lawsuit filed," he said.
However, in Tuesday's meeting, school board attorney Doug Lawrence said an apology is not acceptable, because the employee who filed the complaint said that would not be enough.
Either way, McFarland stressed getting the situation under control.
"Board members need to stay in their lane," he said. "Be a board member. you can't micro manage a system, and this is getting totally out of hand."
NBC 10 reached out to other school board members, Krutzer, her attorney, and the current interim superintendent Derenda Flowers -- all could not be reached for a comment at the time of this report.
The school board engaged in a heated meeting to discuss the conversation and now, one member tells NBC 10 News no resolution has been made yet.
Tthis community is at an uproar right now," said board member Bishop Rodney McFarland.
An uproar because of a voice mail -- one that sounds simple at first, but what's heard later is causing tension in the district -- after school board member's Vickie Krutzer's phone didn't hang up completely.
Excerpt from the voice mail: "I mean Vickie, are any of these n*****s have an iq above ten? Does he have a problem? Everybody in this community, black and white...Well, let me ask you this....It's absurd to have McFarland in charge of anything, does it make any difference whether...(inaudible)."
It's not known who the male voice in the recording is -- but Monroe City Schools chief accountant, Davonna Howard, filed a complaint with the district last week -- asking Krutzer no longer contact her and accusing the board member of creating a hostile work environment.
"As I submit this complaint to you, it's my deepest and sincere hope that the actions of the Monroe city school board member Vickie Krutzer, are not taken lightly," said board president Verbon Muhammad in Tuesday night's meeting, meant to address the complaint and voice mail.
But McFarland says nothing was resolved in that meeting.
"We failed to carry a motion," he said. "It kinda just slipped by us because of the heat of the moment."
He says the motion to sanction Krutzer was not carried by the board president. However, that may come up in the next meeting agenda, where McFarland says the board will try to carry on where they left off.
"Because we need to resolve this issue, it's still an ongoing issue," he said.
Some folks in the community say they disagree.
"I think it's very sad, I feel like the direction needs to be more targeted toward spending our energy finding a superintendent for the children, and working hard and getting the right person in office instead of bantering back and forth about personal agendas," said Monroe resident Keysha McDonald.
Rachel DeMoss has three kids attending Monroe City Schools, and said she wants the focus to be on the students.
"We do need to a new superintendent, we need to get on that and find someone who's qualified to take care of our children," she said. "There's things that need to be taken care of and fighting about things and getting into heated conversations at a school board meeting isn't the way to handle it."
McFarland says there may be plans on filing a lawsuit.
"To make such a statement that was heartbreaking and no apology was offered, it might be a lawsuit filed," he said.
However, in Tuesday's meeting, school board attorney Doug Lawrence said an apology is not acceptable, because the employee who filed the complaint said that would not be enough.
Either way, McFarland stressed getting the situation under control.
"Board members need to stay in their lane," he said. "Be a board member. you can't micro manage a system, and this is getting totally out of hand."
NBC 10 reached out to other school board members, Krutzer, her attorney, and the current interim superintendent Derenda Flowers -- all could not be reached for a comment at the time of this report.
