The Taneytown man who resigned from Carroll County’s school board in March after using a racial slur is running for re-election, insisting the incident is behind him.
Jeffrey Morse, 54, resigned after using the “N” word to describe a dark-colored rock that was making construction difficult at a school building site, school officials said.
“I think the people who looked at what happened accepted my heartfelt apology,” Morse said, adding “a lot of people” had asked him to run again.
“I would hope the candidates focus on campaign issues.”
Following the comment, there was a backlash from the local black community, but fellow school board members urged him to stay.
At the time, Jean Lewis, the president of the county National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter, had said his remark was inappropriate and questioned how Morse would view other minority students.
This fall, Morse will join four other candidates running for two open positions, including Virginia Harrison, a local NAACP member who replaced him, board President Cynthia Foley, Barry Potts, president of the Carroll County Education Association and Mount Airy resident Jennifer Seidel.
Harrison could not be reached for comment.
“Everybody’s free to run. When he was on the board, he was a good member,” said Superintendent Charles Ecker. “He made a poor choice of words and he readily admitted it.”
Foley agreed he had been a decent board member and wished him luck, but said it would be awkward for her to comment further since she herself is running for re-election.
Morse said he will focus on three core issues in his bid to reclaim a school board position: equity in education, fiscal accountability and leadership.
“I think we need stronger leadership on the board,” he said. “And when I was on the board I was hoping to provide that.”
He also expressed concern with low yearly teacher raises, and how the board was handling construction at Manchester Valley High School.
A 20-plus-year resident of Carroll County, Morse has two children in the school system and is a high school teacher in Littlestown, Pa., in Adams County.
He said his roles as a longtime resident, educator and parent legitimized him as a serious candidate.
“These are three valuable perspectives to have at the table when you’re making decisions,” he said.
