The Columbus Municipal School District morning named Edna McGill interim superintendent on Friday, but not without some heated debate that introduced the subject of race.
McGill had acted as the district’s temporary interim superintendent since June, when former superintendent Martha Liddell was removed from the post after it was revealed that she used district funds to pay for a private party and had continued to do consulting work in violation of her contract.
McGill will serve as the district’s interim head until June 30, 2015, or until a new superintendent is hired. She will officially begin at midnight tonight.
The school board voted 3-2 to hire McGill during Thursday morning’s special school board meeting. The board also agreed that the search for the district’s next permanent superintendent will begin Friday.
Board member Angela Verdell said she felt the interim superintendent position was not properly advertised and violated board policy. Board members sparred for several minutes until Spears once again mentioned his motion and asked if there was any discussion. Board member Aubra Turner spoke up and said she had been pressured by outside forces to vote a certain way.
“I would first like to go on the record and say that I have been told that I will be kicked off this board if I don’t vote a certain way and it’s very unfortunate that we as a district and as a city are operating in this manner,” Turner said. “Our focus should be on the children and it shouldn’t matter what color a person is. It shouldn’t matter if they’re black or if they’re white. What matters is if they get up here and do the right thing and that’s what I’m asking you to do, Mrs. McGill, as interim superintendent. I’m sacrificing my position (on this board). So I expect for you to sacrifice for these children and do the right thing.”
Turner’s term on the school board is the next to become open for replacement by the city council. Her term expires in February.
Board member Currie Fisher responded that race was not a factor in her considerations.
McGill is white.
“I would like to go on record as saying that Mrs. McGill’s color has no bearing and should not even be mentioned as an issue,” Fisher said. “It is not an underlying issue and it is not an issue which has been considered by me. Mrs. McGill is the same race as my grandfather and I loved him.”
Fisher suggested that the real pressure was being exerted within the board, rather than from outside parties, as Turner contends.
“I think that intimidations by members of this board to intimidate other board members is offensive and should not be accepted by the public,” Fisher said. “The deals and the conversations that have gone on to define what has become a majority (on the board) is offensive. And as Mr. Spears said Monday night, you can print that.”
Addressing McGill, Verdell said her opposition to McGill as the interim superintendent was not personal..
“Mrs. McGill, the way that I vote, it has nothing to do with your person,” Verdell said. “It has everything to do with the position and there are just certain things that I believe that this position should entail and there are certain ways that I think this board should operate. So it has nothing to do with your person. It has everything to do with the position and what we’re trying to do and what we should be trying to do is propelling this district forward, not just maintaining the status quo but making sure that we are truly moving forward at a rapid speed.
“So it has nothing to do with your person and I think my behavior towards this position is the same as (it was with) the previous superintendent. I will continue to ask the tough questions. It is irregardless of the person.”
The board then voted 3-2 to hire McGill with Fisher and Verdell opposed. When McGill was hired as temporary interim superintendent in June, Fisher and Verdell opposed that vote as well. The two dissenting board members also voted against firing Liddell.
After the vote, the board went into executive discuss to discuss potential litigation regarding the use of Aramark, the school’s former catering company, by “current and former school employees and others,” according to Spears. Aramark was the company used to provide food for the private party thrown by Liddell that contributed to the board’s decision to terminate Liddell as superintendent. The board announced it had taken no action after emerging from executive session.
Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.
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