Richmond, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - At an emergency meeting held at John Marshall High School Tuesday night, the Richmond School Board declined to take any action on Superintendent Jason Kamras. The meeting was called after "alarming" SOL scores were released last week.
On Monday, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney weighed in, saying a decision to fire Kamras just before school starts would be catastrophic. Multiple speakers at the emergency meeting asked the Board to resign, saying they had some responsibility for the situation as well. Kamras, for his part, pointed out during his presentation that SOL scores are down across the state, and said in some respects, the city outperformed the Commonwealth as a whole.
At one point during the meeting, Kamras and Richmond School Board member Kenya Gibson had a conflict, prior to a failed Gibson motion to change the district's curriculum. Kamras said instituting such a big change, after complaining about too much change, lacked common sense. Gibson then said Kamras' comments were "inappropriate."
One complicating factor in any Board's decision on Kamras is a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth that would give the State Board of Education veto power over his replacement. The State Board is now controlled by Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) appointees, and the Richmond School Board is heavily Democratic.
