The Buford City Schools January Board of Education meeting was running smoothly until it came time for public comments.
The 500-pound gorilla in the room was the mystery surrounding the abrupt resignation of Buford High School Principal Lindsey Allen over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.
Several parents who said they knew the Allen family personally couldn’t believe that after moving to Buford from Bibb County less than a year ago, they’d pull up stakes so quickly.
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“There’s a lot of chatter on social media and people are upset,” said parent Brenda Whalen. “The Allens sacrificed everything to come here.”
Email correspondence between Allen and Buford City Schools Superintendent Robert Downs dated Jan. 17 showed that Allen did not want to leave his position.
He said he was shocked at being asked to leave after he received "all 3s and 4s on my evaluation and told I was doing a great job."
He added, “I was given no direction for remediation. ... No direction for what they would like to see changed or improved. I am simply being released without any opportunity to do either. I believe I have and would continue to add value to Buford City (Schools).”
Many in the audience were concerned that with four principals at the high school in the past four years, there would be a lack of stability.
“We’re not doing this to hurt people,” said Board Chairman Phillip Beard. “If we have to go through 10 principals we’ll do what we need to so we have the right fit.”
Downs interjected that personnel matters are not open for public discussion.
“The job posting goes up tomorrow,” he said. “It will be up for ten days and we’ll sort through applicants then.”
Some questioned why Scott Chafin, an assistant principal at Buford Academy, was named interim principal instead of an assistant principal from the high school.
Beard didn’t respond to that question, but insisted that any current Buford employees who applied for the position would be considered.
Seemingly at the end of his tether, Beard interrupted a speaker and moved to go into executive session. Once it was seconded by board member Pat Pirkle, Beard adjourned the meeting.
“Buford is a good school system,” said Whalen who has lived in Buford for seven years and had twins graduate last year. “I wish the board had more transparency and more respect for the community.”
She said she had spoken to Allen about some new ideas for the high school shortly before the winter break.
“He gave no indication that he was leaving,” she said. “He was talking about plans for the future of the school.”
