12/03/2025
By Sherrie Clifford, ROC Edition Publisher:
District 6 Board of Education Member Katie Addis Announces Immediate Resignation at Budget Input Meeting
Worcester County Board of Education member Katie Addis, who represents District 6, announced her immediate resignation during Tuesdayâs Public Budget Input Meeting, delivering a sweeping and sharply critical statement moments after the public comment period ended with no speakers.
Addis read her prepared remarks near the start of the meeting, telling fellow board members and the public she entered the role hoping to âadvocate change for the greater good of Worcester County,â but no longer believes she can achieve that within the current school system. âI wanted this so badly because I wanted my children to eventually go to school here. After sitting on the board for three years, Iâve come to realize that this wonât be possible,â she said.
Throughout her statement, Addis said many of her policy goals were never supported by the board majority. She criticized what she described as a destructive culture within the school system and questioned decisions she believes failed to hold employees accountable. âWe have a teacher who implied he wanted students dead and instead of firing him, our superintendent rewarded him with a paid vacationâ she said. Addis added that board members who privately agreed with her often refused to speak publicly, even on issues she viewed as straightforward, including what she called unnecessary extravagance such as administrative vehicles.
Addis also accused top administration of misrepresenting school funding during annual budget cycles. She said the public is repeatedly led to believe the school system is not fully funded despite the county meeting or exceeding maintenance of effort requirements. âIndoctrination campaigns take place to make the public believe the Board of Education is not fully funded. This is grossly false and dangerously inaccurate,â she said.
She criticized the Worcester County Teachers Association, saying she believes the group pressures educators to join and to view the association as their only source of support. âTeachers deserve to know they do have options,â she said. She also said local journalism often presents information in ways that âsway the public away from the truth,â urging voters to scrutinize reporting ahead of next yearâs election and calling Worcester County journalism âvery much a part of the good old boy network.â
Addis encouraged residents to take a more active role in local issues, calling for more face-to-face dialogue and fewer online confrontations. She pushed for more modest school construction projects, saying taxpayer dollars should focus on classroom needs rather than what she described as âTaj Mahal schoolsâ that increase costs without improving outcomes.
Addis described her time on the board as her âmission field,â saying she often felt unwelcome but remained committed to her faith and to serving the community. She thanked teachers, staff, parents and students who sought her help over the past three years and said she hoped her work âchanges your outlook on public servants.â She said she remains confident in the communityâs resilience and encouraged residents to continue showing up for one another with respect and civility.
She ended her statement by announcing she would step down immediately. âEffective immediately, I will be resigning my position as District 6 school board representative and stepping down,â she said.
Only after Addis finished her remarks did Board President Dr. Jon Andes respond, saying he was âsurprised and shockedâ and âspeechlessâ at her announcement. He thanked Addis for her service before moving the meeting back to scheduled budget discussions.
Photo courtesy of Worcester County Board of Education
