UPDATE, 3/22/23: Bradley County Schools Director, Dr. Linda Cash, applied to become Sumner County’s next Director of Schools, however, she will no
UPDATE, 3/22/23: Bradley County Schools Director, Dr. Linda Cash, applied to become Sumner County’s next Director of Schools, however, she will not be interviewed for the position.
Dr. Cash submitted her application after the official deadline and did not go through the original screening process that produced only one recommended candidate by the Tennessee School Board Association.
The Sumner County School Board met last night and voted down an amended motion that would allow Dr. Linda Cash to be interviewed even though she missed the application deadline.
Additionally, another motion was presented to restart the Director of Schools search and reopen the application period for any and all candidates. That motion also failed.
A motion to interview all 9 candidates who met the original qualifications and deadline set by TSBA and the Sumner County School Board passed 7-4.
WCLE reached out to Dr. Cash after the vote, but she declined to comment further.
Yesterday, before the meeting, Dr. Cash did issue a statement to WCLE which stated “If this endeavor does not unfold, I will continue to find joy and be blessed to work with the amazing staff and students in Bradley County Schools.”
Bradley County Schools Director, Dr. Linda Cash, has applied to become Sumner County’s next Director of Schools.
The Sumner County Board of Education hired the Tennessee School Board Association last December to conduct a national search for a new director after the current Director of Schools, Del Phillips announced he will retire on June 30th.
The first round of applications produced 16 applicants. However, only two candidates were recommended by TSBA based on the screening process and the qualifications set by the board. One of the two finalists, withdrew her name last week after receiving a promotion, leaving only one applicant– the district’s current Chief Academic Officer, Scott Langford, as the only finalist for the position.
The current and retiring Director of Schools Del Phillips will continue to receive his full salary of over $210,172 until June 30, 2024, while serving in an “advisory, consulting, and transition capacity” to the new director.
Dr. Linda Cash submitted her application after the official deadline and did not go through TSBA’s original screening process. According to the Hendersonville Standard, The Sumner County School Board will vote tonight on whether to allow Dr. Cash to interview for the position and whether they will also interview additional candidates not originally recommended by TSBA, but who did apply before the deadline.
In a statement to the members of the Sumner County School Board, Dr. Cash explained that she was contacted by TSBA and members of the Sumner County Community to apply.
In the statement, Cash explains her decision to apply after the deadline. Her statement reads in part “Through my extensive research, I became aware of an unusual agreement with the retiring director to act as a paid consultant for the incoming director. This agreement, along with several conversations with trusted confidants in Sumner County led me to believe that the search was just a formality and that a new director had already been selected. After receiving this information, I was hesitant to apply if I would not be seriously considered for the position. I have an excellent relationship with my Board and school community in Bradley County and did not want to disrupt our work and place the district in a stressful situation.”
The Sumner County School Board will meet tonight at 7:00 eastern time. Follow WCLE on social media and listen to mymix041 tonight for an update on this story.
