BEN HILL COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) – Parents in Ben Hill County are raising concerns after learning about a reported school restructuring decision they say was made without proper public notice.

A social media post that has since gained attention claims a called board meeting was held last Thursday without notifying the public within 24 hours. The post also alleges Superintendent Steve Harden submitted his resignation and that district leaders plan to move the entire elementary school to the primary school campus.

Several parents say they were not informed about the meeting or given an opportunity to speak before the reported decision was made.

“We never got a vote or a say in the matter,” one parent wrote online, referencing the Georgia Open Meetings Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1).

Other parents voiced concerns about how the move would affect teachers and students, including questions about classroom space, playgrounds and school resources.

One mother said the change would directly impact her autistic son, who recently transitioned to third grade and would now have to adjust to a new school setting again.

Another parent said, “The school move isn’t necessarily a problem, but that proper communication should come from school members, not a parents’ group chat.”

Parents commenting online have questioned whether proper public notice was given and are asking district leaders for more transparency.

Vice Chair of the Board, Austin Futch, addressed those concerns.

Board members approved the Superintendent’s recommendation to reorganize elementary, primary and pre-K grade levels during a work session on Feb. 5. The plan moves pre-K to the elementary school, shifts elementary students to the primary building and relocates primary students to the elementary campus.

The district reportedly serves 2,714 students, including 577 at the elementary school and 789 at the primary school, including pre-K.

Futch has served on the board for just under a year and said he is driven by his passion for the community. He said the consolidation was necessary.

“Our school system has actually dropped in FTE count in recent years. But we are in a position that we’re able to start consolidating some things to be in a better place financially and get some of the older, more higher maintenance buildings out of use so that we can move forward and look toward the future in terms of new facilities,” Futch said.

Parents took to social media disagreeing, saying they wish their voices had been heard and that there was not enough notice.

One Facebook post reads, “This makes no sense at all. Who made this stupid decision??? We the parents should have a say or not pay the taxes!!!!”

Another parent acknowledged the meeting but questioned communication, writing, “We knew that there would be a meeting tonight. However, this meeting was not advertised enough... I have an Autistic son that just transitioned to the 3rd grade and will be transferred again.”

Futch said that proper public notice was given ahead of the called meeting.

“Not only did we announce the meeting at our January meeting, but public notice was provided on Monday, February 2nd at 3:01 p.m. to both the radio station and the legal organ, the Fitzgerald Herald Leader. It was also posted to our district website at 3:10 p.m. on the same day and posted at the board office where we place all of our public notices,” he said.

During the meeting, there was also discussion about holding the vote in an open regular meeting instead of a work session. Futch and Board Member Shirley Brooks supported pushing the vote to the regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 10, so it could take place in open session. Board members Tyler Clemons and Andy Johnson made and seconded motions related to how the vote would move forward, but an amendment to delay the decision ultimately failed in a 4-3 vote.

While parents do not directly vote on board decisions, elected members are chosen to make those calls.

“Ultimately, while we are very thankful for our constituents for putting their trust in us and electing us at the ballot box, they do elect us to make decisions like this,” Futch said.

Futch also addressed another rumor, clarifying that Superintendent Steve Harden is not resigning, but retiring effective June 30, 2026. Harden has been with the system for 35 years and came out of retirement to accept the position. Futch added that the Superintendent’s proposed plan was communicated within a reasonable timeframe.

“With the change not taking effect until the next school year, we believe that there’s still ample time to notify the parents. We will do this via an all-call, social media posts and emails. We also intend to pay staff for their time while they’re moving. We appreciate all the hard work that our staff does on behalf of our students,” Futch said.

The Ben Hill County School System said they make their decisions based on the best interests of the parents and the students across the district. They added that they will continue to rely on transparency within the community.

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