MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — People in Monroe County are claiming attendance guidelines for teachers are unfair.
The rules came from first-year superintendent Jim Finch at the start of the year, but now Tabitha Floyd said the changes could impact teacher retention.
"I'm outraged," Floyd said.
Floyd said she's lived in Monroe County for 12 years. She said she's never looked into the state standards for teachers until late March when she heard about new attendance guidelines.
"Where teachers are being evaluated and based on how many sick/leave days they use during the year, and it's impacting their professionalism score," Floyd said.
These guidelines were sent to all county principals by superintendent Finch. But Floyd said they were not clear enough, because the principals don't use them consistently.
"Some of the principals within our school district accepted doctor's notes and other principals did not accept any doctor's notes," Floyd said.
Floyd said some teachers said they were docked for being with their sick child in the hospital or having to go to an OBGYN appointment.
"They can be you know a great, highly professional, excellent teacher and also be an excellent mom at the same time," Floyd said.
Floyd filed a complaint to the state attorney general because she believes the board of education violated the state open meeting law when they voted on Finch's attendance guidelines.
"I think it should have been discussed in the open meeting because it's an employment policy that's impacting all the employees, so it shouldn't be a secret," Floyd said.
Since last week, we've reached out to the board of education several times to hear from the superintendent or his office but have not heard back.
Floyd said she sat down with the superintendent recently. She claims he was understanding about her concerns.
"He's just looking to go forward and make changes in the future. I would like to see the teachers who were negatively affected by this that their evaluations be redone for this school year," Floyd said.
The Georgia Department of Education gives teachers ten sick hours per month. Floyd said she's trying to drum up community support to bring the issue to the county board of education. Their next meeting is scheduled for May 14.