LITTLE ROCK — The Pulaski County Special School Board will wait to negotiate with Jacksonville civic leaders over creating a new school district - until hearing from the federal court.
In a close vote Tuesday, the School Board decided not to repeal its previous decision to suspend negotiations with Jacksonville leaders.
Discussion on the resolution was relatively short compared with the hours of debate at the last meeting in July. It ended with a vote of 4 to 3 in favor of letting the resolution stand.
"We've moved to this point without contacting the court or telling the judge what we're doing," said board member Gwendolyn Williams.
Williams and others who voted not to repeal the resolution urged the board to wait until the Pulaski County Special School District is declared unitary, or desegregated, by the federal court before making further plans for a possible 4,500-student school system in Jacksonville.
The board approved boundaries for a proposed Jacksonville school district just before pass-ing the resolution to suspend negotiations in July.
Board member Mildred Tatum called for the repeal of resolution, saying she made a mistake by voting to suspend negotiations in July.
Tatum said in board documents for Tuesday's meeting, "I did not have a clear understanding of the full meaning and ramification of this resolution."
During the meeting, Tatum urged board members to negotiate with Jacksonville leaders.
"It's in my heart to do the right thing," she said during the meeting. "I was the one that had the deciding vote last time, and I'll have a repealing vote this time."
The board also decided Tuesday night not to create an internal working group to consider plans for the future Jacksonville district.
Creating an internal group would stop the community and other interested parties from being able to give their input, said board member Shana Chaplin. In the past, the board has made decisions without giving any explanation to the public, she said.
"I think that lack of transparency continues," Chaplin said.
The question of whether or not input from an outside party like the Jacksonville Education Foundation is needed at all was presented to the board by board VicePresident Bill Vasquez. Vasquez, who represents Jacksonville, said there are enough elected representatives of Jacksonville to serve its best interest.
Board President Tim Clark, Charlie Wood, Williams and Vasquez voted against repealing the resolution. Tatum, Chaplin and Danny Gililland voted for repealing.
Board members voting against creating the group were Tatum, Williams, Chaplin and Gililland. Voting for creating the group were Vasquez, Wood and Clark.
Tuesday's vote means discussions related to the Jacksonville school district are on hold.
"The key word here is suspend - not terminate," Williams said.
Arkansas, Pages 9, 13 on 08/12/2009