Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 11-20-15 Edition

Feature
Controversy Of A Different Kind Leads To School Board’s New Chair Being Elected
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
An annual reorganization of the Hillsborough County Public Schools Board on Tuesday ended in an upset with a majority of the board voting April Griffin in as Board chair, instead of cur- rent vice-chair, Doreatha Edgecomb.
After a confusing nomina- tion process, Griffin secured the four votes she needed to win the seat which has been held in the last year by Susan Valdes.
By law, each year the board has to vote in a new chair and vice-chair. For decades, it’s been a tradition of the Board that the sitting vice-chair takes on the posi- tion of board chair.
A block of board mem-
bers, however, declined to continue the tradition – and thereby denied Mrs. Edge- comb a chance to lead the Board.
But the move followed a seemingly convoluted nomi- nation process that started with Mrs. Edgecomb as the only nominee.
After the public comment period of the meeting, Su- perintendent Jeff Eakins opened the floor for nomina- tions.
Carol Kurdell immediately nominated Mrs. Edge- comb, stating that “...our tradition has been for more years...that we rotate the chair.”
Mr. Eakins asked for ad- ditional nominations, but no one spoke. Then, as he moved on to prepare the Board for the vote, board member,
DOREATHA EDGECOMB ..the only Black member was overstepped to be
school board chair.
Cindy Stuart interjected asking the Board attorney Jim Porter if there could be additional nominations.
Mr. Porter said yes, stat- ing that the nomination process could continue be- cause it had not been formally closed.
Groans and shouts of dis- pleasure erupted from the au- dience, but Supt. Eakins continued the process and ac- cepted Stuart’s nomination of Griffin, followed by
Melissa Snively’s nomina- tion of Ms. Kurdell.
After the vote for chair, Ms. Griffin nominated Ms. Stuart for vice-chair while Ms. Kurdell nominated Ms. Snively. Ms. Stuart won the seat.
Prior to the vote, a num- ber of citizens spoke on the issue with some addressing rumors about a campaign to prevent Mrs. Edgecomb from becoming chair.
Ann Jenkins, a retired Air Force veteran who lives in Mrs. Edgecomb’s district, chastised the Board, singling out Ms. Valdes for asking African-American women to speak against Mrs. Edge- comb.
“This is an awful, awful problem that we have and we need to fix it,” she said. “If we don’t fix it, the pattern I see will ruin the School Board.”
Rev. W. James Fa- vorite, pastor of Beulah Bap- tist Institutional Church, implored Board members to keep its tradition.
“You have a rule in place
and that rule ought to be abided by,” he said.
Activist Joe Robinson said more important matters – such as the forensic audit and strategic plan – war- ranted the Board’s attention and he warned the Board of holding to unwritten rules.
“Whoever is vice chair this year...you might not be chair next year,” he said.
During a recess after the vote, Mrs. Edgecomb of- fered a diplomatic response to the outcome.
“The democratic process took place and the vote pre- vails,” she said.
Attorney Delano Stew- art, however, saw things dif- ferently.
“It was illegal,” he said. “There was one nomination on the floor. (Eakins) asked if there were other nomina- tions and no one answered.”
Reached by telephone after the meeting, Robinson said he was satisfied with the results.
“God took care of business tonight,” he said.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-A