We'll have at least two reporters at the County Commission today for their regular meeting, in which the commissioners are expected to vote to fill the seven new school board seats created under terms of the schools merger settlement. After the jump, see a one-sentence description of the finalists.
And ponder this (comment on it, I mean) -- why are those picking the board and those who picked the 21-member transition team showing such a strong lean toward men and away from women? After all, the vast majority of professionals inside both Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools are women, as is the case in most schools and school districts. I'm not suggesting there should be a quote; I'm just asking -- what's with all the men?
In all 15 of the transition team members are men to only six women -- a split of 71 percent ment to 29 percent women. Of the 25 finalists chosen for the seven new school board seats, 19 are men and six are women -- an even greater disparity of 76 percent men and 24 percent women.
If the board picks go at the similar rate, it would be five men and two women. Those seven are added to the current nine MCS board members and current seven SCS board members to create a 23-person unified board. Right now, SCS has six men and one woman (Diane George of Collierville) while the MCS board actually has a female advantage -- six women to three men. So -- a possible unified board of 14 men and nine women.
Add that all up, and you would have, among the 44 people most involved in merging schools, a grand total of 15 women compared to 29 men -- about 66 percent men to 34 percent women.
This is not to say that would be good, bad or indifferent. But it certainly would mean mostly men making plans for systems where the majority of professionals are women.
Finalists for the board are after the jump below.
And ponder this (comment on it, I mean) -- why are those picking the board and those who picked the 21-member transition team showing such a strong lean toward men and away from women? After all, the vast majority of professionals inside both Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools are women, as is the case in most schools and school districts. I'm not suggesting there should be a quote; I'm just asking -- what's with all the men?
In all 15 of the transition team members are men to only six women -- a split of 71 percent ment to 29 percent women. Of the 25 finalists chosen for the seven new school board seats, 19 are men and six are women -- an even greater disparity of 76 percent men and 24 percent women.
If the board picks go at the similar rate, it would be five men and two women. Those seven are added to the current nine MCS board members and current seven SCS board members to create a 23-person unified board. Right now, SCS has six men and one woman (Diane George of Collierville) while the MCS board actually has a female advantage -- six women to three men. So -- a possible unified board of 14 men and nine women.
Add that all up, and you would have, among the 44 people most involved in merging schools, a grand total of 15 women compared to 29 men -- about 66 percent men to 34 percent women.
This is not to say that would be good, bad or indifferent. But it certainly would mean mostly men making plans for systems where the majority of professionals are women.
Finalists for the board are after the jump below.
District 1
District 3 (suburban)
District 4 (suburban)
District 5
District 6
- Noel Hutchinson: Pastor at First Baptist-Lauderdale who helped bring together a wide-ranging community of clergy supporting what they called "unification" of the county's schools.
- Sammie Jones: Retired Sheriff's Office deputy who serves on a part-time basis as baliff for the Shelby County Commission and is active with his church.
- Christopher Lareau: Shelby County assistant district attorney who works in Juvenile Court, sends daughter to neighborhood Memphis City School, campaigned vigorously for forcing merger with the county and once served as room parent for kindergarten class.
- Duncan Williams: CEO of successful Memphis investment bank Duncan Williams, Inc., who wants more business leaders to engage in civic activities.
- Sherman Greer: Southwest Tennessee Community College professor who for many years served constituents as part of the 9th Congressional District's local office for Harold Ford Jr. and Steve Cohen.
- Tyree Daniels: Investment banker at Morgan Keegan who also has helped found and served as treasurer for inner-city charter school.
- Teresa Jones: Appointed by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton as the city's chief prosecutor and active in the legal community.
District 3 (suburban)
- Angelo Lamar: Fire inspector with Memphis Fire Department from Millington who has volunteered with neighborhood schools and worked as substitute teacher in MCS.
- Raphael McInnis: A 2010 Leadership Memphis graduate from Arlington and administrator for regulatory affairs at Medtronic who will have a child in SCS.
- Karen Woodward: An SCS parent from Lakeland and former teacher who now works in insurance; grew up attending MCS from K-12.
District 4 (suburban)
- Nancy Bailey: Collierville resident is former teacher who holds a PhD in educational leadership and is children's author. Daughter is recent graduate of White Station High School.
- Ken Hoover: Germantown resident is software firm owner, former Thomas & Betts executive and SCS parent who nearly upset long-reigning SCS board chairman David Pickler in 2010 election.
- Todd Martin: SCS parent and Collierville resident stressing experience at global agri-business giant Syngenta dealing with mergers and acuisitions. Wife is SCS teacher.
- Sonya Smith: Collierville resident who worked for MCS as a services coordinator, and has a nonprofit firm focused on childcare referral services.
District 5
- Jim Kyle: Longtime state senator and current Democratic minority leader stressing his experience bringing together people representing many different constituencies.
- Mondonico Williams: Pastor whose charisma won over many commissioners.
- Kevin Woods: Director of sales/training at New Horizons Computer Learning Centers who told commissioners he is a Republican and sends kids to private schools.
District 6
- James Catchings: Retired as longtime principal for MCS and pioneer as one of the first black leaders in the local teacher's union. Has run unsuccessfully for City Council and County Commission.
- Rosalyn Nichols: Pastor with advanced degrees who is longtime community leader and also running for City Council.
- Reginald Porter Jr.: Senior projects analyst for FedEx who emphasized his expertise in understanding complex systems. Recently given top award for his class of fellows at The Leadership Academy.
- Terry Spicer: Successful CEO of local baked goods company who stressed his entrepreneurial achievements can-do spirit.
- Michelle Lindsay-Moore: MCS parent and attorney with Memphis Area Legal Services who was appointed as coordinator of City of Memphis's office of youth services.
- Todd Payne: Faith-based activist who is general manager of local Christian radio station, stressed need for representation for unincorporated Cordova residents with kids in SCS.
- Billy Orgel: CEO of Tower Ventures who also served on Metro charter commission.
- Ralph White: Prominent pastor, youth activist and past clerk of criminal court division who also served on Metro charter commission.
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