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Wagstaff joins school board

By Michael Petrocelli : The Herald-Sun mpetrocelli@heraldsun.com Dec 12, 2002 : 11:04 pm ET

DURHAM -- After being sworn on to the Durham school board Thursday, Jackie Wagstaff thanked a roomful of supporters for helping her through "all this adversity," but her new colleagues’ first action suggested there could be more adversity to come.

Right after swearing Wagstaff in, the board agreed to hold a special meeting next week to again discuss her recent convictions for misdemeanor larceny in light of a state statute that could ultimately force her removal from office.

Under the statute, the state Board of Education can compel the Durham board to investigate whether Wagstaff engaged in such conduct and to declare her seat vacant if they find her guilty of "immoral or disreputable conduct."

Wagstaff was convicted last month of falsifying two city check request forms to convince a bus company that the city would pay for two trips her nonprofit organization had arranged for inner-city children. She accepted the misdemeanor convictions as part of a plea agreement with District Attorney Jim Hardin, who originally charged her with two felonies.

Several Wagstaff supporters, including members of a group founded by the Rev. Al Sharpton, took the podium in support of Wagstaff, warning board members not to try to oust her and casting the issue in a racial light.

"Jackie Wagstaff means something to black people," said Elton Powell, president of the Triangle chapter of Sharpton’s National Action Network. "She’s a voice, she’s a leader, and she’s committed."

Powell said his group would protest an effort to remove Wagstaff and said they would bring Sharpton to town if necessary.

The school board is made up of four white members and three black members, and has often split along racial lines in the past.

Also joining the board Thursday was Steve Martin, former executive director of the Carolina Theatre, who was elected in September to replace outgoing member Arnold Spell.

At a special session last month, board members voted 5-0 to send a letter formally notifying the state board that Wagstaff had been convicted and to ask for guidance under the statute. Included with the letter was a copy of a report on Wagstaff’s actions by the State Bureau of Investigation.

State Board of Education Chairman Phil Kirk, however, said that the decision to inform him was premature because Wagstaff was not yet officially a member. Wagstaff was elected in September, but, by state law, could not be sworn in until the board’s first meeting in December.

In a letter that attorney Ann Majestic read to the board Thursday, Kirk said his board will look into the matter only if the information is sent again.

The board did not discuss whether to resend the letter and the report Thursday at the request of member Michael Page, who missed the meeting because of a death in the family. Board members did not agree on a date for the special meeting.

After being sworn in, Wagstaff pledged to be an outspoken advocate for children and criticized The Herald-Sun, which first reported that Wagstaff had doctored the city forms after she admitted to a reporter that she had done so.

"Contrary to the popular belief of The Herald-Sun, they didn’t elect me," she said. "The people elected me."

In other action:

-- The board appointed Evelyn Slappy as interim principal of Burton Geo-World Elementary. Slappy, currently assistant principal of Eastway Elementary, replaces Tanya Burton-Simmons, who is leaving to take a job in another district.

-- The board awarded construction contracts for improvements to R.N Harris Elementary and Chewning Middle School, which were included in last year’s bond referendum.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2002

Answers

"Jackie Wagstaff means something to black people,"

With her record, she's on her way...

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2002


To avoid having Sharpton in town, maybe they should just drop the charges ... anything to keep Sharpton out of town ... >;)

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2002

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