Cape School Board discussion was contentious; superintendent vote was not unanimous

I am writing in response to the recent article titled "Cape Girardeau school board votes to offer contract to next superintendent". Contrary to the article, the vote was not unanimous. To the motion made "to allow the board president to enter into a contract with...", my answer was the sole dissenting vote. My vote was not a reflection of any candidate, but rather a reflection of our process, given the board policy about the selection of the superintendent of schools.

The policy states, in part, "the board will conduct an active search to find the person believed most capable of putting into action the policies of the board, while it remains cognizant of the aspirations of the community, and of the professional and support staff." Our search failed to yield a pool of candidates from which I feel we could select a person 'MOST capable'.

We do have one applicant who I agree is both qualified and capable of leading our school district. However, I feel that not putting that person up against a slate of other candidates is a disservice to the students, the staff, the community and to that candidate.

The discussion was robust and, at times, quite contentious. I felt pressure to change my vote. However, when I ran for my position on the board, I promised that I would do what I felt best to stand up for the students and staff, and our community that supports Cape Girardeau Public Schools. I will continue to honor that commitment, even when it is hard.

My vote is only one of seven, and I accept the decision of the majority. Monday night's meeting lasted over five hours, and while sometimes heated, we also had discussions filled with great dialogue about continued opportunities in our district. I do feel like progress was made in that respect. Of course, there is still much work to do. I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve and represent our district.

Veronica Langston is a member of the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Board of Education.