Capping a controversial re-organization process on Long Beach Unified’s Board of Education, Board Member Juan Benitez declined a nomination to be the group’s vice president Wednesday night, weeks after he’d been passed over for the board’s top position.
Although the roles of president and vice president are largely ceremonial, controversy ignited last month when Benitez wasn’t selected to lead the board even though he’d just finished serving as vice president, which typically means someone is next in line for the president position that is rotated among the five board members.
Bypassing Benitez in favor of Board Member Diana Craighead drew criticism from prominent politicians and activists, some of who alleged Benitez fell out of favor for leading the charge for equity in the school district.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Board Member Megan Kerr resigned her position as the board’s vice president, in essence, clearing the way for Benitez to take that seat for another term.
“As we focus on excellence and equity, I nominate Dr. Benitez to serve as vice president for the upcoming school year,” she said. “I’d like a second.” (Kerr nominated Benitez for president at the July meeting where he was passed over, but no other board member seconded that motion.)
This time, Craighead seconded Kerr’s proposal and called for a vote, at which point Benitez “respectfully declined” the nomination.
Benitez said later in the meeting that he “greatly appreciated” Kerr’s gesture, but, “I have personal reasons for declining the nomination.”
“On that note, I think we need to do a lot of building,” he said. “These times have been divisive. I’m going to ask my friends to help me, and our district move forward.”
It left the board in an awkward spot, organizationally. Its charter calls for an annual election of a president and vice president on the third Monday of July. With Craighead as president, Kerr resigning as vice president, and Benitez declining the nomination, that left only Jon Meyer and Felton Williams to fill the role. Both Meyer and Williams are retiring at the end of their current terms, in December.
Meyer nominated Williams for the vice president role and Williams in turn nominated Meyer, who accepted.
LBUSD legal counsel Brent North said the moves didn’t align with the board’s charter.
“The charter says you must select someone who will serve for one year,” he said. “It doesn’t anticipate someone who will serve for five months.”
North said he ultimately didn’t find anything illegal about the move, as unusual as it was. “You’re acting outside of your charter, but I don’t think you’re acting illegally outside of your charter,” he said.
Meyer was elected vice president with a 4-0 vote, with Kerr abstaining. The board decided that it will hold another vote after Meyer terms out.