When parents at a predominately Black elementary school in Louisville, KY’s “West End” contacted me to ask me to advocate on their behalf, JCPS and PTA leaders appear to have conspired to fabricate “evidence” against me to slow or stop us from gaining any traction. The parents at Maupin Elementary simply wanted the Waldorf-based program that was promised to their children just two years earlier to be given a fair chance, and they objected to being manipulated and seeing the truth distorted into lies to justify why district leaders were reneging on their promise.
In attendance at the emergency district-wide PTA board meeting were Heather Wampler, former 15th District PTA President Autumn Neagle, Former JCPS Parent Relations Specialist and PTA Parliamentarian Sharon Whitworth, current 15th District PTA President Eddie Squires, Parent John Buie, former Manual PTSA President Pinky Jackson, Nikki Hockman , newly elected 15th District PTA Secretary Ben Kolb (JCPS Board member Chris Kolb’s brother), myself, and others.
A second conversation, which took place following a parent info meeting the next night at Maupin Elementary, features Asst. Sup. Joe Leffert, (now retired) Maupin Principal Maria Holmes, and Leffert’s assistant, Kim Kent, as well as some Maupin parents who will remain nameless unless they choose to identify themselves. As anyone listening to the two audio files can easily discover, the stories don’t add up. Not only is there no record of the letter that Mr. Kesler claims was sent to him via email from Principal Holmes, the “cause” presented during the Board Meeting contained a number of facts, including what time the media interview took place, whether or not Joe Leffert had been misinformed about my visit and had expressed concerns that led to a fabricated letter, and whether or not the bully administration abused its power in successfully seeking to have me removed from my advocacy role.