Business as usual for school board

The mood was one of professionalism and business-as-usual at Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the Clinton Board of Education, despite recent serious events both locally and state-wide. It was attended by all but one of Clinton’s school principals, who reported on teachers’ and students’ first day back in class this week since the state-wide teacher walkout began April 2. 
Tuesday was also the first school board meeting since Clinton Middle School math teacher Keri Hoffman was arrested on multiple charges involving sexual encounters with one of her students. 
Although it had been widely publicized, there was no discussion of Hoffman’s arrest due to statutory regulations. 
As school board member and attorney Luke Adams explained in a follow-up phone conversation with Clinton Daily News, the board is prevented from discussing any topic that hasn’t been added to the agenda within a specified time frame prior to the meeting. That rule is standard with many official elected bodies — including the Clinton City Council — presumably to ensure that a group’s business at hand is addressed. 
This same statutory regulation also prevented the school board from discussing allegations against Coach Koons last year, when he was alleged to have engaged in inappropriate actions that later led to his dismissal. Unlike this week’s board meeting, which was sparsely attended, many community members had come to that one hoping to address the board. But again, because they hadn’t requested to be on that evening’s agenda, they were instead informed that it couldn’t be allowed. 
There is a possibility this particular regulation may change, however. At Tuesday’s meeting, board member Kim Meacham carefully worded a request to introduce a motion that would allow more leeway in bringing up new business under certain circumstances. As Adams further explained, even Meacham’s request had to be worded in a way that did not bring up business substantially different than the agenda’s. 
The board members, it was decided that Meacham’s request would be tabled until Adams has a chance to research the legality of making such a change to the regulations. 
As per Tuesday evening’s agenda, before adjourning the board did decide to hire a new bus driver and rehire several teachers at the high school. But according to Superintendent Kevin Hime, Hoffman’s class at CMS will be taught by substitutes for now.