During her hearing, Suzy Jackson said she didn’t understand why she was being transferred based on her number of years at Thorsby (six years), and not her number of years in the county (11 years).

“My concern is that now, I’m going to be the first-year teacher at Jemison,” Jackson said. “I guess I’m concerned that I might be bounced again somewhere else.

“I am very thankful to have a job. I understand that units need to be moved because of the enrollment freeze, but I do not understand why one of those units has to be me.”

Board member Joe Mims asked whether each employee’s total number of years in the school system was considered.

Hayden said the numbers were considered, but it was determined the best way to select transfers was based on the number of years at an employee’s current school.

“The Student First Act says anyone can be transferred to any position they are qualified for without a reduction in salary,” Hayden said. “The state will not pay us for these three units at Thorsby School.”

Before the hearings, board member Keith Moore recused himself from serving as an impartial member due to being related to one of the classroom teachers on the recommended transfer list.

The recommendation to transfer Jackson, from an elementary position at Thorsby to an elementary position at Jemison Elementary, and Barnett, from an elementary position at Thorsby to an elementary position at Jemison Middle, failed due to lack of a majority of board members present voting in favor.

Shannon, Mims and Linda Hand voted in favor, while Price and Smith opposed.

Moore abstained from the vote.

Board president Lori Patterson was absent from the meeting.

The board voted on transfers in three separate groups, which were classroom teachers, P.E. teacher and administrator.

Along with Barnett and Jackson, the first recommendation (regarding classroom teachers), which failed, included transferring Mary Beth Easterling, from an elementary position at Thorsby School to an elementary position at Jemison Elementary School.

The second recommendation was to transfer the following P.E. teacher:

•Josey Shannon, from a physical education teacher position at Clanton Intermediate School to a physical education teacher position at Clanton Elementary School.

The recommendation failed due to lack of a majority of board members voting in favor.

Shannon, Mims and Hand voted in favor, while Price, Moore and Smith opposed.

The third recommendation was to transfer the following administrator:

•Mark Stephenson, from 0.5 teacher/0.5 assistant principal at Clanton Intermediate School to a full assistant principal unit at Isabella School.

The recommendation failed due to lack of majority of board members voting in favor.

Shannon, Mims and Hand voted in favor, while Price, Moore and Smith opposed.

Hayden said the employees recommended for transfer would remain at their current schools.