A group representing dozens of parents of city school children said Monday if action is not taken to protect the system’s accreditation standing, the group would support opponents of the existing City Council in the August election.

The organization, called Concerned Parents of the Tuscumbia City School System, was formed after the school district received an “accredited warned” status by the association that evaluates and confers accreditation on schools and school districts.

“I’m here today to beg of you, plead of you, to do something for the sake of our children,” Skip Nichols said, speaking on behalf of the organization. He said the organization has 64 members, mainly parents with children in the system.

He asked the council to remove the existing school board members and said if accreditation issues continue into the city’s election season, the organization would rally in support of candidates opposing the council incumbents.

Council members, some pointing out they have children or grandchildren in the city school system, said they also are concerned.

The AdvancED/Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the accrediting agency for school systems, issued a report last week that found the Tuscumbia district’s organization is “ambiguous and unclear as to who is in authority.”

As a result of the review, the district was placed on “accredited warned” status and has until the end of June to submit a plan to correct issues cited in the report. A monitoring team will conduct a visit to assess progress outlined in the plan.

If issues cited in the review are not resolved, the district could be placed on probation or lose its accreditation, according to the organization’s policies.

The agency in 2009 issued district-wide accreditation to the already SACS-accredited Tuscumbia school district.

A review team revisited the district in December in response to complaints about actions and behaviors of the school board.

Last week’s report was a summation after interviewing several faculty members, parents and other stakeholders in the community.

The report found micromanagement by board members existed, as well as an environment of fear and intimidation within the school system. The report also declared an absence of clear lines of communication and authority, as well as a lack of commitment by board members to follow board policies.

In 2011, the school board failed to extend the contract of then-Superintendent Joe Walters.

The 2009 report expressed concern about vision/purpose and governance and leadership in the system. During Monday’s work session, Nichols said it is troubling those issues have not been resolved.

“If I didn’t learn in two years at McDonald’s how to make French fries, I’d be fired,” he later said outside the meeting.

Another parent, Donna Reaves, has a daughter who is a junior at Deshler High School with a 4.0 grade point average. She said her daughter is seeking scholarships, and Reaves’ older children had received scholarships, but her daughter could lose any opportunity for assistance if the system loses accreditation.

“My kids have done their job,” Reaves said. “I ask the adults on the school board to do theirs.”

Board member Warren Johnson was not at the work session, but attended the meeting that followed. The issue was not brought up during the meeting, but Johnson said afterward that steps are under way to correct the problems.

“We’ve started the process, and we’ll make sure the matter gets handled,” he said.

City Councilman Richard Coates said changing board members at this point could do more harm than good.

“The board would have to start at the ground level and build,” Coates said. “It would be hard to make the June 30 deadline if that happened.”

Councilman Randall Davis, who has children in the system, said he understands the group’s concern, but recommends allowing interim Superintendent Mary Kate Smith the opportunity to make the changes SACS to correct the issues outlined in the report.

Bernie Delinski can be reached at 256-740-5739 or bernie.delinski@TimesDaily.com.