Door Open for Transgender Substitute Teachers If Central Schools Contract with Kelly Services

The door could be open for transgender substitute teachers in Central schools if a proposed contract with Kelly Services is approved by the Central School Board.  The school system has had problems attracting substitute teachers this year.

Over the objections of Central School Board member Kim Powers, the Central School Board is moving forward with a plan that would make this “Woke” international company the primary supplier of substitute teachers for the school system. 

Kelly Services, which has made an international pledge of no discrimination based on “sexual orientation or gender identity/expression,” would be providing substitute teachers for the school system. Administrators said principals could still reject the substitute teachers provided by Kelly but exactly how that rejection would occur was unclear.  Normally, most substitute teachers simply sign in at the beginning of the school day.  Kelly has made the pledge not to discriminate on “sexual orientation or gender identity/expression” in “assignments.”

The Central School Board’s Finance Committee recommended moving forward with the plan at a committee meeting Monday night. School Board member David Walker said the school system should partner with Kelly Services for the rest of the school year to see how it works out.  The proposed contract will go to the full board at its next meeting.  A majority of the board serves on the Finance Committee.

School board member Kim Powers said substitute teachers should be chosen primarily from among Central residents, not an outside firm and certainly not by a “Woke” international firm like Kelly.  

“They are flat out telling us they will not discriminate based on ‘sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.’  That’s really all I need to know!”  

Powers said Central residents desiring to substitute teach should be paid enough to make it attractive.  “Most substitute teachers in Central are being paid less than $8 an hour. It makes no sense to pay starting teachers $50,000 a year and then wonder why you can’t find substitute teachers for under $8 an hour,” she said.  “If McDonald can’t find employees for $8 an hour, how can we expect to find substitute teachers at that salary?” she said.” 

“You can bet Kelly will be paying a lot more than $8 an hour, and we taxpayers will pay a lot more but through a middle man. We will probably end up paying Kelly $25 to $30 an hour. Why not simply increase pay for substitute teachers and hire them directly as we always have?” she asked.

Powers said after the meeting that hiring people with confused sexual identity would be an obvious and grievous mistake.  “The people of Central want nothing to do with the Woke culture, and I can’t believe this contract is even being considered,” Powers said.  

Powers, who is new to the board after having been elected in a special election last year, said she was shocked to learn that no other company besides Kelly has even been considered by the school system.

Kelly Services operates in many countries including China, India, virtually all of Europe, the U.S., Canada and Mexico.  It’s website says Kelly aligns with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact.

In August, the U.S. Department of Education said Central must allow transgender students full access to bathrooms and other facilities of its choice in order to continue receiving federal lunch funds.  State Supt. of Education Cade Brumley said he opposes this federal mandate and is willing to fight it.

— Woody Jenkins, editor