Baltimore Co. School Board Pushes For Verletta White's Superintendent Appointment
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- After being rejected once, the Baltimore County School Board is trying to get state approval for a four-year superintendent contract for Dr. Verletta White.
It's déjà vu for Dr. Verletta White, who has been serving as the interim superintendent.
On Tuesday night, a majority of the Baltimore County School Board voted to resubmit white for approval to be its permanent superintendent.
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But convincing the state's top superintendent may be a tough sell.
Less than two weeks ago, Dr. Karen Salmon rejected White's appointment, citing an ethics violation.
An ethics panel found White failed to properly report outside income and used the "prestige" of her job to get consulting work. Her predecessor, Dallas Dance, faced similar allegations. But unlike Dance, White has never been charged with a crime.
Some in the county support her.
"We know already what she has done, so there is no other revelations. Can't be worse than what it is," Dr. Bash Pharoan said.
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But four board members want a brand new search where more candidates are interviewed.
"How many resumes were reviewed by the Board of Education for the permanent superintendent position? Zero. How many interviews were conducted by the Board of Education for the permanent superintendent position? Zero," board member Kathleen Causey said.
"There are too many questions in my mind for us to move forward without taking time to thoroughly investigate questions that we have, and be able to go back and get answers," board member Roger Hayden said.
The back and forth about her future took place as White was in the room.
Along with his request for the state to consider White once again. the board chair says additional documentation -- including a report from an ethics panel -- will be sent over to the state superintendent for review.
"I promise you that we will remain civil and that we will keep our focus on the real mission here: public education for almost 115,000 students," school board member Edward Gilliss said.
The board voted 8-4 to request that Salmon consider White once again.
White has said her failure to report outside income was a mistake that she has since corrected. The state superintendent said she'd be willing to allow White to continue to serve on an interim basis.
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