Metro Nashville Public Schools Superintendent Faces Criticism and Support at Board Meeting

Dr. Adrienne Battle speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for Napier Elementary last year (Photo by Metro Nashville Public Schools)

The pressure on Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle turned up a notch at Tuesday night’s Board of Education Meeting.

Half a dozen parents, including Kindall Maupin, utilized the meeting’s public comment phase to attack Dr. Battle’s leadership, and a recent $6.5 million legal settlement with former district administrators approved by the Board of Education.

“Children in our district are expected to correct their behavior when they make mistakes. Why is this not the case for Dr. Battle and this board?” asked Maupin. “Accountability should not be optional.  This decision sends a message (that) the settlements are prioritized over student success.”

The legal settlement involves allegations of discrimination from five former administrators following Dr. Battle’s appointment in 2020, including former principal James Bailey, who says he was removed from his position after recommending discipline for the superintendent’s brother.

Parent advocacy group Nashville P.R.O.P.E.L. organized Tuesday night’s public display of opposition after calling for Dr. Battle to resign last month over the lawsuit and its cost.

Multiple speakers, including Kimberlee Moore, lamented the other uses that the money could’ve been spent on supporting students like their children.

“This money should’ve been used to close reading gaps, putting books in (the) hands of kids, and giving hope,” said Moore. “Instead, the need is still there.”

Board Support for Dr. Adrienne Battle

Metro Law Director Wally Dietz addressed the settlement directly, saying his staff investigated each allegation and found no evidence that Dr. Battle or the district did anything wrong. Dietz called the settlement a “business decision” that was made after lengthy negotiations.

“We analyzed the risks of what we could potentially gain by going to court, where we could’ve won one, two, three, four, maybe all five, not likely, of those lawsuits,” said Dietz. “Or we could have suffered losses in one, two, three, four, five of those lawsuits with damages that exceeded the amount we agreed to pay and the attorney’s fees that likely would have been 50 percent higher after a three-week trial.”

The board itself also addressed the settlement publicly for the first time.

Members faced criticism for approving the settlement without comment, but Tuesday night, Board Chair Freda Player read a statement from the entire board expressing support for Dr. Battle.

“This settlement does not suggest wrongdoing and will be funded from reserves without impacting daily operations,” said Player. “We want to be clear, the board fully supports Dr. Battle in her leadership.”

Questions Remain About Blame

Multiple opponents of the settlement aren’t ready to accept that explanation or the statement that Dr. Battle is completely free of wrongdoing.

Nashville P.R.O.P.E.L. member Elizabeth Buchanan was among them, questioning the message this settlement sends.

“Retaliation is never acceptable, not against staff, not against parents, and not against anyone who raises concerns in good faith, and yet in Metro Nashville Public Schools, it has become part of the environment,” said Buchanon. “When retaliation goes unchecked, people stop speaking up. And when people stop speaking up, small problems become big scandals.”

The district plans to use reserves to pay for the settlement, and board members say it won’t negatively impact classrooms.