News from HCSD

Yesterday, the Hudson City School District issued a press release announcing that Willette Jones and Mark DePace had been reelected as president and vice president respectively of the Board of Education. The press release included an account of discussion that preceded the vote to reelect Jones. 

Matthew Mackerer, newly elected to the board, called on Jones to refuse her nomination, which had been made by BOE member Kjirsten Gustavson and seconded by Calvin Lewis, "to demonstrate to the community that the board has a sense of accountability." Mackerer alleged that under Jones's leadership, the board had become distracted. As an example of the distraction, Mackerer cited the June board meeting, when the board spend 40 minutes--more than half of the hour and 16 minutes the board spent meeting in public--grilling the organizers of the Hudson Children's Book Festival. The situation, Mackerer maintained, should have been handled differently and the time could have been much better spent dealing with issues related to the board's core purpose. 

The press release recounts what happened in this way:

When the Board considered nominations for leadership, Mackerer suggested that DePace and Board member Lakia Walker be nominated as Board President and Vice President. He cited their leadership experience and said that the Board, under Jones' leadership, entertained too many distractions and needed a stronger sense of accountability. DePace thanked Mackerer for his perspective, said all Board members bring different skills to the Board, and expressed faith that the Board could work together for the betterment of the District and community. The vote to confirm Jones' re-election as Board President was 5-1, with Mackerer voting no. DePace was unanimously re-elected Vice President. 

The video of the Board of Education meeting, which took place on Tuesday, July 9, can be found here. Mackerer's statement begins at about 10:31.

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