Lame-duck D.C. School Board President Peggy Cooper Cafritz has taken a parting shot at her successor, Robert Bobb, by putting Bobb’s former rival in charge of transition.
Cafritz sent an e-mail to board members last week, a school source said.
She announced she had appointed Timothy Jenkins to become interim executive director of the board.
Jenkins was a candidate to replace Cafritz as board president in last week’selections. He came in third, behind Bobb and School Board Vice President Carolyn Graham. But he focused most of his vitriol against Bobb — calling him a tool of real estate developers and saying that he was part of a handshake network of corrupt business interests.
Bobb was outraged to hear about Cafritz’s gesture.
“I just think that it’s a blatant, defiant move,” he said.
“And it’s meant to be nothing other than disruptive.”
Bobb, the former D.C. city administrator, said that Cafritz supported Graham for board president.
She sent out an automatic message to voters, implying that Graham had the support of new Mayor Adrian Fenty, Bobb said.
The appointment was immediately condemned by members of the board, according to a top school source. In e-mails, board members said that she had exceeded her authority.
Cafritz defended herself, saying that Jenkins was needed to help with the transition from her presidency to the Bobb administration. Jenkins is a former administrator at the University of the District of Columbia.
If his appointment stands, he will replace former executive director Russell Smith.
Smith left the board in frustration earlier this summer.
Cafritz and schools Superintendent Clifford Janey met Monday afternoon, but school spokesman John White denied that the meeting was to discuss Jenkins’ appointment.
Cafritz did not return calls seeking comment. Jenkins did not respond to requests for comment.
