‘We will be heard.’ Education board takes concerns, support for Macon principal under fire
Seven district stakeholders approached the Bibb County Board of Education Thursday to share opposing viewpoints on a petition circulating online calling for Rutland High School Principal Wendy Pooler’s resignation.
The petition, which now has nearly 700 signatures, accuses Pooler of long-standing administrative misbehavior, acts of racism and fostering toxic school environments for both students and faculty.
Petition creator Angelica Angel said she is still awaiting resolutions regarding ongoing concerns with her two children and Pooler.
“The leadership at the school district level has failed us as district stakeholders,” she said. “We will not rest here. We will be heard. We will be filing a complaint with the (Georgia Professional Standards Commission).”
Former Rutland High student Madison Tidwell approached the board, recalling a past encounter in which she accused Pooler of intimidating her. Tidwell also claimed Pooler shows favoritism to student-athletes, an allegation mentioned often in the petition.
Kelly Tidwell, Madison’s mother, begged the board to speak with current and former teachers at the high school and observe the similarities in their complaints, as well as the students’ complaints.
“There is no way that we have all of these students with the same stories, and they’re all made up,” Kelly said. “There’s not a race thing with this. There (are) many different stories of many ethnicities involved in this: favoritism.
“Please get us a principal at Rutland High School that is for all students — every single one of them; they’re all important.”
Support for Rutland principal
Rutland High parent Phyllis Wallace called the attacks both unfounded and unfair after highlighting school achievements under Pooler’s leadership, such as its graduation rate soaring from 85.5% last year to 93.37%.
“It is easy to criticize when you’re on the outside looking in,” Wallace said. “We ask (the board) to look beyond the negativity and observe the facts … We stand with her, and we stand with the continued growth of success at Rutland High School.”
Parents Danyelle Stephens and Alisa Colbert also highlighted their positive experiences with Pooler and how she helped their children thrive academically and overall.
Pooler, who was in attendance at the meeting, did not comment. Pooler sat beside Wallace and Wallace’s two daughters, who are Rutland High students and cheerleaders.
This story was originally published November 22, 2024 at 10:23 AM.