Closed session stalls School Board agenda

The Little Rock School Board selected Greg Adams to serve a second-consecutive year as its president at a lengthy meeting Thursday that was marked by a 2-hour and 20-minute closed session to discuss the employment, discipline and/or demotion of an employee.

Newly elected School Board member Joy Springer called for the closed session after the board heard comments from residents and an explanation of the state Freedom of Information Act from its attorney, but before the board dealt with any of the reports and action items on its agenda.

The board did not begin addressing the bulk of its agenda -- including a possible vote on a controversial proposed custodians' contract and the re-establishment of the district's former Planning, Research and Evaluation office -- until almost 9:30 p.m.

The vote to go into the closed session was 5-2, with board members Springer, Dianne Curry, C.E. McAdoo, Tara Shephard and Jim Ross voting for it, and board members Adams and Leslie Fisken opposing it.

By law, school boards can go into closed session for the purpose of considering employment, appointment, promotion, demotion, discipline or resignation of an employee. Superintendent Dexter Suggs is the only employee that the board directly supervises, and he has been the focus of at least one other closed session in the past year, but it was not clear whether he was the focus Thursday.

Board members returned to an open meeting and made no immediate motions and gave no hints relating to the matter in executive session.

"You all are the most patient people in the world," Adams told the approximately 40 people -- including administrators, school personnel and members of the public -- who waited for the board's return.

Earlier in the evening, Adams was voted 4-3 to serve a rare, second-consecutive year as board president. Initially, Curry nominated McAdoo for the position, but he declined to accept it.

Those voting for Adams were Adams, McAdoo, Fisken and Shephard. Those opposed were Ross, Curry and Springer.

Springer was elected to be vice president, and the board's other newly elected member, Ross, was made secretary. Five members of the board voted for Springer and Ross. Adams and Fisken abstained on both votes, each saying the offices should be filled with more experienced board members.

Ross presented to the board what he called his philosophy or world view about the district that he said has betrayed black, Hispanic and poor white students for 60 years. He said that middle-level managers in the district have controlled and maintained a system of mediocrity.

He called for a halt to blaming teachers and parents for poor student performance.

Springer said she was motivated to run for office because of what appeared to her to be the deliberate actions of administrators to maintain the status quo, and to blame parents of poor students -- mostly black students -- for their failure to learn. She also said she believes that the district's administration failed to support the educators in the district's schools.

She said she will insist on measurable, objective accountability of efforts to improve student achievement through reports to the School Board.

Adams said the district is at a pivotal point that can set the district on a trajectory to remove academically troubled schools from state lists and provide improved classrooms and athletic facilities.

"We are working for a better district for every kid in every community," Adams said.

Metro on 10/24/2014

Upcoming Events