Savannah teacher tells school board about issues at West Chatham Middle

Yahoo

12-05-2025

West Chatham Middle School Spanish teacher Lauren Waura apologized to the Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education for any mistakes she might potentially make as she read a letter on behalf of herself and her colleagues.
"I am terribly nervous," she said at the podium during the board's May 7 Regular Meeting. She then went on to say that she and her fellow educators felt silenced and many others had wanted to join her but "do not feel safe or supported enough to speak out publicly."
She then detailed the teachers' opinion that the middle school has seen a "decline in school climate, staff, morale and overall functionality" under its current leadership.
"Teachers and staff are severely burnt out, and morale is nearly nonexistent. Many teachers in our building, myself included have lost much of the joy formerly found in teaching," she said. She stated that teachers felt overwhelmed with the burden of discipline, stability and safety without strong leadership.
She said the issues have led to lost instructional time and control of classrooms. She stated that the school has had 242 disciplinary referrals processed this school year.
"And we expect more before the year is done," she added before noting that some teachers do not even bother to write referrals, having lost confidence they will be pursued properly. The teachers feel the lack of consequences "embolden students to misbehave, disrupting the learning environment and preventing other students from receiving the education they're entitled to."
Waura explained that when district leaders were made aware of the concerns, leaders suggested the issues were the result of a new principal's growing pains and not uncommon.
"We were told to give it time...we have. West Chatham does not have any more time to waste," she said. She called the issues more than a "matter of adjustment" but rather long-term challenges that have affected the health of the school community.
Waura expressed the educators' desire for "a strong veteran leader who knows how to work with their staff and lean on them when necessary, someone who leads with integrity, compassion and strength, who shows genuine care for the students, who sees teachers as partners, not subordinates, and who inspires trust and a spirit of community and collaboration."
Waura was approached by district leaders after the meeting ended. She could not be reached for additional comment prior to publication.
Sept. 2024 SCCPSS Principals List: Savannah-Chatham County schools' principals list for 2024-25
Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at [e-mail] and JoeInTheKnow_SMN on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Middle school teacher asks for help with school leadership