Literacy Board Wants Metro Employee Reinstated

Literacy advocates in Nashville want city leaders to reinstate a position they say is key to teaching adults to read.

Meg Nugent heads up the Volunteer Literacy Program. She is one of seven Metro Community Education employees laid off last week. Nugent started out volunteering for the agency before becoming a full-time director.

“I basically raise money in the community through grants and without that, you’re looking at…no one’s writing grants and that will kill the program.”

Metro Schools employees will staff classes that are in progress, but officials contend Community Education hasn’t been producing its share of revenues. Because of low enrollment, the classes are projected to bring in just $80,000, compared with a budgeted amount of $340,000. Metro will pick up the deficit, though the city already contributes more than $700,000 annually.

Among its programs, Community Education also runs an aquatics center at Glencliff High School. Its four employees have also been laid off.

Metro council members will discuss the cuts Thursday.