Amidst administrative turbulence and safety concerns, the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board undergoes a shift in leadership; Joyce Dorse Coleman emerges as the new board chair while Stephanie Love secures the position of vice-chair for the 2024-25 school year. The Commercial Appeal reports that Coleman, representing District 9, received unanimous backing as chair in Tuesday's election, having been a part of the board since 2018, while Love, with the longest tenure since 2014 from District 3, won the vice-chair role by a 6-3 vote.
The election process displayed initial divisions, District 1's Michelle McKissack pitched Amber Huett-Garcia for vice chair against Towanna Murphy's endorsement of Love, and after a series of votes that displayed the board's search for consensus; in the end McKissack changed her vote to Love, creating a spirit of unity with a 7-2 margin, according to The Commercial Appeal. Meanwhile, an announcement on the district's social media congratulated the new leadership without touching on the backdrop of recent layoff-related upheavals that have challenged the board.
In tonight's meeting, the School Board selected its leadership for the 2024-25 school year.
— Memphis-Shelby Co. Schools (@MSCSK12) September 25, 2024
Congratulations to Joyce Dorse Coleman, who has been selected as Board Chair, and Stephanie Love, who will serve as Vice-Chair. pic.twitter.com/VzGY7kO3pG
Juxtaposed with this leadership change is a broader narrative of systemic disarray within the district, as multiple schools faced lockdowns without proper notifications reaching 130,000 families, a crucial failure attributed by Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins to technical issues—further complicated by layoff of key personnel in the Academic Operations and School Support division. "Incorrect or outdated contact information, not system failure," was quoted by Finalsite, the communications provider, to Action News 5 as the reason for alerts not being distributed.
A deeper look into the district's internal dysfunction reveals a recent exodus, including the abrupt resignation of a newly appointed Executive Director of Safety and Security with former Board Chairwoman Althea Greene and current Commissioner Towanna Murphy linking these layoffs to last week's discord, this confluence of events could signify a district at the crossroads. Superintendent Feagins and her Strategic Communications Officer Jermaine Johnson, have remained silent on these issues, with Johnson assuring an eventual interview but providing no specifics when pressed by Action News 5.
