, Fla. — Former Brevard County school board member Jennifer Jenkins spent four years on the board before her recent departure.
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She hoped to transition to another district position as a speech/language pathologist at Sea Park Elementary, but that’s not happening.
Jenkins shared emails with Eyewitness News showing she’d been offered a short-term position by the school.
Jenkins said, “I can’t let it go. You know, there’s personal reasons for me to serve this district for nearly ten years. I have one month left for my public service loan forgiveness. I have every right to come back to the career and profession that I work for and to get the job that I signed paperwork for. And quite frankly, it was a full circle moment for me.”
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We contacted district headquarters about why Jenkins was denied a short-term position, and we got a copy of an email sent to Jenkins by Superintendent Mark Rendell. It said she was not professionally disqualified.
However, it also stated “This is not a temporary or project-based position “and Jenkins’ availability did not meet the requirements of the role. Jenkins was offered an opportunity to apply for a substitute position. Jenkins told us, “They gave me an ultimatum that in order to not receive an official denial letter, that I would have to agree to take this position as a substitute, which would be significantly lower pay. And quite frankly, on principle, it’s just the wrong thing to do.”
While Jenkins believes her denial was political retaliation based on her sometimes contentious time on the school board, Superintendent Mark Rendell told Jenkins the district’s decision was made in strict adherence to hiring policies and procedures and added that no individual is “entitled to employment with the district.”
The issue may be settled in court as Jenkins has hired an attorney.
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