Worcester County school board member Katie Addis abruptly resigned Monday night, telling fellow board members and the audience at a budget input meeting that she no longer believes it’s possible to achieve meaningful reform in the district.
“I wanted this so badly because I want my children to eventually go to school here. After sitting on the board for three years, I’ve come to realize that this won’t be possible,” Addis said. “Many of the aspirations I had as a board member, were not supported by my fellow board members.”
Addis, elected in 2022 to represent District Six, announced her resignation effective immediately, giving examples of the “destructive culture” as she sees it.
“Nothing I do here will change the destructive culture of this school system,” Addis said. “We have a teacher who implied he wanted students dead. And instead of firing him, our superintendent rewarded him with a paid vacation, I mean administrative leave.”
She was referring to the situation involving William Severn, a biomedical science teacher from Worcester Technical High. In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death in September, a Facebook post attributed to Severn read: “Let’s not complicate this. Kirk supported Trump, Trump is a pedophile. Pedophiles deserve death. Pedophile supporters deserve the same.”
Severn was placed on administrative leave in the weeks following the post before being allowed to return to the classroom.
Addis also criticized fellow school board members, who she said “voice agreement with me in closed session [but] often refuse to speak up in open session on issues as clear cut as the unnecessary extravagance of administrative vehicles.”
But the majority of her frustration fell on how the school district’s board and administration handle the budget.
“Every year as budget season approaches, we have a board and top administration who refuse to take responsibility for the overspending being done and are constantly pushing staff and community members to vilify local elected officials to force their hand to fully fund the board of education,” Addis said, arguing that a flat budget, providing the same amount as the year prior, was full funding.
Anything beyond full funding, Addis argued, was a request. And not all requests can get approved.
“You are coming here with wish lists for your schools, but just like Christmas not everyone gets what they want on their wish list,” she said.
For the second straight year, Worcester County earned the state’s top rating in the Maryland Report Card, 68.36, up slightly from 66.54 last year.
Worcester County was the only district in Maryland with all schools rated four or five stars. Two of its schools – Pocomoke High and Snow Hill High – earned five stars, ranking 12th and 14th in the state, respectively.
What happens next?
Board President Todd Ferrante said Addis’ departure came without warning.
“While her resignation was unexpected, we certainly wish Mrs. Addis well,” Ferrante said. “She has been a dedicated servant to those who elected her. We valued her voice and perspective.”
Addis was sworn into office in January 2023 and had two years remaining in her four-year term. The seven-member board serves staggered terms; vacancies are filled by the Worcester County Commissioners. County officials said details on the process to replace Addis will be announced soon.