The third time was the charm for 63-year-old Thomas Sumpter, as it took three ballots to elect him as the new president of the Pittsburgh School Board.
The protracted selection of Sumpter over rival Regina Holley was the first order of business after he and new board members Terry Kennedy, Cynthia Ann Falls, Caroline Klug and Sylvia Wilson were sworn in for four-year terms Dec. 2.
On the first two ballots, both Kennedy and Falls abstained, leaving Sumpter with a 4-3 edge over Holley, one vote shy of the required five.
On the third try, saying she “didn’t want to keep doing this all night,” Kennedy opted for Sumpter.
Holley’s supporters Mark Brentley and Klug voted for her all three times.
Sumpter said his goal is to work cooperatively with other board members and to focus on “big picture” issues–course offerings, equity, feeder patterns and magnate schools.
The first “big picture” item on the board’s agenda is scheduling a public hearing on the closing of Woolslair Elementary School in Bloomfield later this month.
(Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburghcourier.com.)
