WACO, Texas (KXXV) — A three-day long public hearing is revealing new details behind Mart ISD's decision to terminate former Superintendent Betsy Burnett. The school board claims Burnett violated several district policies.
- In Nov. 2024, the Mart ISD school board voted 6 to 1 to terminate the contract of current superintendent, Betsy Burnett
- The board claims Burnett violated several district policies including disrespecting the board both publicly and in private and secretly recording meetings
- Burnett claims a member of the board failed to inform her of a district employee that was on drugs
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“I’ve been offered jobs to go other places, I’ve been offered places that offer more money, I’ve stayed here because I love these students and I love this staff,” said former Mart ISD superintendent, Betsy Burnett.
Last year, the Mart ISD school board voted 6 to 1 to terminate superintendent Betsy Burnett.
Last Friday, 25 News got new details on the reasons behind her termination during a public hearing held by the Texas Education Agency.
“We are here today because, by her actions, Mrs. Burnett has seriously compromised her relationship with the district-elected board of trustees,” Mart ISD’s attorney said.
On Monday, 25 News attended the second part of that public hearing.
This time, Burnett got the chance to speak out about several claims made by the district's school board.
As part of her testimony, Burnett claims a member of the board failed to inform her of a district employee that was on drugs.
“As a team of eight, if a board member knows for a fact that an employee is on drugs, then I believe they should be held accountable for bringing that to district personnel,” Burnett said.
She says the board then proceeded to talk about the matters in closed session, leaving her out of the conversation.
“I believe that I was not being respected as having any information or input into discussion of another employee,” Burnett said.
Burnett also addressed allegations of secretly recording meetings, stating she believed the board was aware the meeting was being recorded, and that she set the camera up with the district's Technology Director, Ashley Garrett.
“Ms. Garrett and I worked on it together because it was a system I wasn’t familiar with,” Burnett said.
In addition, Burnett says she was also advised by Region 12 that school board meetings should be recorded.
"I received copies of board operating procedures and different ways that boards conducted business, along with verification that board meetings should be at minimum audio recorded for their open session portions,” she said.
In Jan. 2024, the board extended Burnett’s contract and gave her an eight percent raise.
But in that same month, she was given the lowest evaluation she’s ever received.
The hearing is scheduled to continue Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m. at Region 12 in Waco.
