Making the Moore County School Board mess WORSE?
Well, things are beginning to look a little better. Dr. Bob Grimesey is back in the superintendent’s office. 
Four of the five troublemakers / coup plotters have resigned from the school board.
Then, we get to the appointment of interim members. Pam Thompson was appointed this week to fill one of the two at-large vacancies on the board. Thompson is a Democrat who lost a race for the board in 2014. She served ONE TERM on the board from 2006-2010.
Here at the DH, we’ve got two problems with this appointment:
- Ties to ‘The Gang of Five.’ We took a look at Ms. Thompson’s campaign finance report from 2014. She didn’t raise much money, but her third quarter report revealed something interesting. Thompson received donations from coup plotters Kathy Farren — who resigned — and Laura Lang — who did not. Sources tell us that Thompson is personally close to a number of the coup plotters. Is it really a good idea to put someone on the board with ties to the people who were the problem in the first place? Have we been saddled with a stalking horse for the coup plotters?
- A violation of Dr. King’s Dream. Remember his dream? Listen to board member Ed Dennison tout the choice of Thompson (who happens to be black, BTW):
[…] Board member Ed Dennison nominated Thompson.
“I’ve put a great deal of thought into this emergency recommendation, and these are the traits I would like to see,” he said. “(We need someone) who has true passion for students and staff, someone who makes their own decisions, and someone the community could accept as an interim board member.
“The new board member should be a woman, because we have only one woman after Becky’s resignation becomes effective. A member of a minority group, because our board needs to diversify. Someone with strong ties to Sandhills Community College … and someone with school experience. I nominate Pam Thompson.” […]
Why not someone with kids who — currently or in recent history — has had kids in the school system itself? Why not someone who can bring solid organizational management experience from the private sector to the bureaucratic public school nightmare?
I am not a big fan of making choices based on characteristics someone was born with. I am more interested — like Dr. King — in the content of someone’s character. Their take on the issues that they will be dealing with in elected office.
Less than a year ago, Pam Thompson was resoundingly rejected by the voters of Moore County. Public reports indicate at least 43 residents interested in filling board vacancies. Was THIS really the best choice?
Thompson’s performance on SCC Board of Trustees has been excellent.
Go back to the video and watch the attorney’s discussion about a quorum to do business.
Cunningham steered the ship well and some cancers are gone.
For Lord’s sake Brant view this event as it is-a huge opportunity and it will not be put in jeopardy by Ms Lang continuing to serve or by Ms. Thompson’s appointment. WBBJr
The opportunity evaporated with this appointment . It’ pretty simple math.
One step forward, three steps back, and I understand Mr Ed as an R after his name. Someone should probably tell him what that stands for.
If Pam Thompson was resoundingly rejected by the VOTERS for the school board after one term, she would be my last choice. Get over the female, race, gender bean counting and get to the most level headed person available for this Board. This is PC run amuck.
To resolve the problems here, we need to know just what the coup was all about. We are still in the dark!
Brant, as a CONSERVATIVE, I agree with your editorial and thank you for alerting the public on what is going on.