Several members of the Alexandria School Board say removing the superintendent who was convicted of drunken driving in 2004 is not a top priority.
Most of the eight new members elected to the nine-person board this week ran on issues of raising student achievement and fiscal responsibility.
The candidates who were vocal about finding a replacement for Superintendent Rebecca Perry were not elected, except for former City Council Member Claire Eberwein.
“Most voters I talked to are really ready to move on with the issue,” said Sheryl Gorsuch, a new East End representative.
“My view at the time of the incident, I thought she should have resigned … but she now has a contract through July 2008. It is judicially enforceable and legally binding,” said Arthur Peabody Jr., a new Central District representative.
“The key is student achievement for the school system,” said Scott Newsham, a new East End representative. “If there were to be a change of leadership, the key is that it is a process that will not disrupt the educational process.”
Buying out Perry’s contract would cost about $400,000, which Alexandria cannot afford, said West End representative Charles Wilson, the only incumbent who ran for re-election. He added that searching for a new superintendent isn’t easy because there are not many superintendents who are “willing and able to come to this kind of district.”
Wilson said the board should not get “bogged down into when there are so many more important things to take of,” such as establishing objectives, identifying resources and coming up with long- and short-term plans for the school system.
Alexandria School Board
» Established as an elected body 12 years ago
» Board members’ terms begin July 1
» Terms last three years
