BARDSTOWN, Ky. — At noon on Friday, Thomas Nelson High was empty and quiet. Just days before, students staged a staff-facilitated walkout. Teachers called out Thursday, closing schools that day. Bus drivers joined the next day.
The Nelson County Board of Education has been quiet since Tuesday night's board meeting where they voted 3-2 in favor of a plan to merge Thomas Nelson High School into Nelson County High School.
WHAS11 tried reaching out to the school board members in favor of the merger on Friday.
Amanda Deaton ignored an interview request made by text. So did David Norman. The only board member who responded to our request, Diane Berry, declined to speak.
Bill Osborne, a former member of the board, supports the merger. He said the decision puts children first.
"Facilities are not putting kids first. Putting kids first are making sure that they get the education that they deserve. And we need to just back up and let the administration, let the board, figure out what's best for this county," he said.
As a taxpayer, Osborne wants a merger because he thinks it will save money, eliminate empty seats in the schools, and allow more challenging courses to be offered.
Osborne wants the district Superintendent Wes Bradley to get students and teachers back in the classroom.
WHAS11's emails to Bradley and other district spokespersons were also ignored. Calls made to the central office weren't returned.
In a statement, spokesperson Toni Konz Tatman with the Kentucky Department of Education said they are aware of the situation in Nelson County.
"KDE is in contact with Superintendent Wes Bradley in Nelson County to encourage both he and his board to work together towards getting students and staff back to school promptly," Tatman said.
Teachers and principals we spoke with at Thursday's protest in the heart of Bardstown said they supported Bradley.
"I think the superintendent wants to do what's in the best interest of all students in our district. And he had a vision, and that vision got torn down through three specific members of our board," Holly Smith, a house leader at Thomas Nelson High, said.
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