Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Former Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights Principal Lauren Dressback has been transferred to oversee Vestavia Hills' alternative school.
Former Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights Principal Lauren Dressback on Friday spoke publicly for the first time about her new role as principal of the Vestavia Hills Alternative School following her controversial transfer to the job in May.
Dressback, who will be starting her 20th year with Vestavia Hills City Schools, was placed on administrative leave in February and then assigned to the alternative school during a special school board meeting on May 1.
Several Cahaba Heights parents and other people from the greater Birmingham area rallied to Dressback’s defense, claiming she was being discriminated against due to her personal life. Many of those in attendance characterized Dressback’s transfer as a demotion or punishment.
While Superintendent Todd Freeman and the school board have not commented on the reasons for the transfer, Freeman did say that “we cannot, have not and will not make personnel decisions based on an individual’s race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or disability.
“I can assure you that all of our decisions are vetted thoroughly and thoughtfully to be in compliance with applicable laws and board policies, and with the best interest of our students, faculty and community in mind,” Freeman said. “We are fortunate to have employees throughout our system who contribute greatly to our academic success and are committed to our mission to provide every child in our schools the opportunity to learn without limits, and that will continue to be the case.”
On Friday, in her first interview since the controversy began, Dressback chose not to discuss publicly what led to the school board’s decision to place her on administrative leave and transfer her to the alternative school. Instead, she said she is focused on the future and the task of delivering the best education experience possible to kids in the alternative education program.
“The way I am viewing this is, I’m a glass-half-full kind of person,” Dressback said. “I very much believe that you bloom where you’re planted, and so the way that I’m doing this is I’m going to go in there and give it my all to give the kids, who maybe feel like they’re on the fringe of school.”
Dressback, herself a graduate of Vestavia Hills High School, said she realizes that the Vestavia Hills school system doesn’t have a major disciplinary problem thanks to parent involvement and the efforts at the elementary school level to promote character education in the classroom.
Whether she encounters a child dealing with regular discipline issues or a student who isn’t thriving in a traditional school setting, Dressback said she wants to be an advocate for them.
“I want those kids to know they’ve got somebody on their side, that they’ve got somebody who is looking out for their best interest, and hoping to put in front of them the very best possible education in the very best possible scenario for them,” she said.
As of Friday, Dressback said she had not received detailed instructions from the Board of Education or central office on her new role, nor has she been provided access to the school or introduced to the faculty, and is, therefore, unable to outline any changes or improvements she will make to the school. However, she is aware that the alternative school has, in years past, had a reputation as being cold and intimidating, and hopes to transform it while still enforcing the discipline each child needs, she said.
“I can’t speak to how it was for the past couple of years, but the way that it used to be felt very … feels very cold. It’s punishment,” Dressback said. “I guess the way that I view things is discipline means to teach literally. I think the goal of alternative placement should be more in helping that student understand what they’re communicating to us with their behavior, what it means to them and why they are communicating to us in that manner and help them find a better path for that.”
Dressback said she is still processing the events of the last five months and although she still doesn’t understand the reason for the transfer, she said she is leaning on her faith and a desire to do the best job possible under the circumstances.
“I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. I may not understand that reason, but I will let the Lord use me for whatever purposes he sees fit,” Dressback said. “This is where I am in my life, and so this is what I’ll be dedicated to and passionate about, and I will work to give the students that come through the alternative school the very best scenario that they can possibly have.”
