LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) issued a response on Thursday to the scathing school board letter from a district board member.
In the letter, board member Chris Kolb criticized some district principals who openly opposed new start times for the 2024-25 school year.
The board approved a plan creating three start times for next year: 7:30 a.m., 8:40 a.m. and 9:40 a.m. at a meeting Tuesday night.
"I can't imagine any school wants to forego transportation and it seems clear that virtually no school wants to start later than 9 a.m. Thus, decisions that the board must make will necessarily be unpopular with many people," Kolb wrote. "There is no way around this and pretending like there is some other magical path the board could choose, as many of you have done, is simply absurd, destructive and not in good faith."
Carolyn Callahan, a spokesperson for JCPS, said Superintendent Marty Pollio "fully supports all JCPS principals and their passion for their schools and families."
"The nationwide bus driver shortage - and JCPS losing nearly half of its bus drivers over the past decade - has been and continues to be extremely difficult on the superintendent, JCPS staff, students, families, and Board members," Callahan said. "Dr. Pollio appreciates the willingness of principals to share their thoughts and feedback with the Board."
She said Kolb asked Pollio to distribute the email to all JCPS principals, so Pollio did that through the assistant superintendents.
Here's Kolb's full letter:
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