CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A new board has been seated, but uncertainties remain for the Champaign School District.
After nearly a month without a meeting due to April’s sessions falling short of necessary members, the district swore in their newest five board members at a special meeting held on Friday night. This marked the introduction of a new board, bringing a fresh perspective to their proceedings.
The meeting was expected to be a straightforward event with the new board members taking their oaths and assuming their positions. However, questions and concerns raised by two new board members, coupled with feedback from the audience regarding next week’s agenda, turned the gathering lively and contentious.
“I understand that it may seem like it requires a complicated answer, but it’s actually quite straightforward,” said newly elected Board President Tony Bruno. “Essentially, it’s just adults behaving appropriately for a change.”
Friday night’s Champaign District special meeting began with five new members taking their seats. Christy Arnold, Tony Bruno and Grace Kang will serve four-year terms.
“I’m looking forward to getting the train back on the tracks, and I think we’re going to do that pretty soon,” Bruno said.
Fatima Ahmed and Justin Michael Hendrix will serve two-year terms.
“It’s a privilege to have the trust of so many of the community,” Ahmed said.
As the old board exited, the new board got to official business: Selecting Bruno as the Board President for a one-year term.
“That’s five for Mr. Bruno, and two for Justin Michael Hendrix,” said the board.
Fatima Ahmed was tapped as the board’s Vice President for a one-year term as well.
“We got six for member Ahmed, and one for Justin Michael Hendrix,” the board said.
But the final hour and a half of the meeting was where things got interesting. The majority of the board decided to throw out the previously set agenda for next week and instead use a new one.
The old agenda featured administrative appointments for several schools including Booker T. Washington STEM Academy and Centennial High School. Those appointments never happened with the old board thanks to a lack of attendance for the last month.
“I took them off this proposed agenda because if you vote no, if you feel like you don’t have enough information to vote yes, and you vote no, then that person can’t be brought back before the school board for six more months,” Bruno said. “And I think that’s wrong.”
Concerns over the changed agenda resulted in a disruptive back-and-forth between the board and the crowd, with members Kang and Hendrix echoing the crowd’s concerns.
“This agenda, are we approving that together today, or what is happening here?” Kang said.
“This agenda right here sounds like a set up for the new members,” Hendrix said.
And next week could remain interesting. New business includes the “issuance of an RFP for an executive search firm for superintendent.”
“To know that we are deciding to remove a superintendent without my conversation is dangerous,” Hendrix said.
This means the new board could soon come with a new superintendent.
“This agenda has been created since April 14 and it is something our team does together, it is not one person, and so, for someone to come in and to bring the agenda to be done and then ask my staff to post it, that is not how things work,” said Superintendent Sheila Boozer.
It’s a quick turnaround for the next board meeting, which will be Monday, May 12. Among the items discussed will be deciding what happens next with Superintendent Sheila Boozer’s job.
