Alexandria School Board members sternly responded to recent criticism leveled at the Board and school system staff.
Without singling out the offending School Board member by name, Board Chair Michelle Rief, Vice Chair Kelly Carmichael Booz and Member Christopher Harris on Thursday night admonished Board Member Abdel Elnoubi for his comments at a City Council candidate debate on Oct. 16.
Elnoubi and five other candidates (along with School Board Member Jacinta Greene) won the Democratic nomination for City Council in April.
Flanked by all the candidates running in the Nov. 5 contest, Elnoubi said at the debate that the School Board idly lets staff decide on matters, resulting in transportation woes at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus, too few development options for the George Mason Elementary School rebuild and more.
“It’s what happens when we let staff dictate direction, and the elected School Board does not ask tough questions, does not push back and does not exert its authority,” Elnoubi said. “It’s unintended consequences that’s not thought through.”
Thursday night’s Board meeting was the first since the debate, and Rief said that the community is sick and tired of attempts by City Council members and candidates to “punch down on the School Board, especially during election season, to score cheap political points.”
While many of the candidates criticized the Board for their budgetary decisions and the recent closure of an elementary school due to a lead exposure, Rief, Booz and Harris narrowed their focus to Elnoubi’s comments.
“Our community is tired of the finger-pointing,” Rief said. “Some people feed on the conflict, but most of us want resolution. We want to solve the problems of our city, and our schools, and that can only be done when we work together in good faith. It’s hard to do that when you’re more interested in scoring political points.”
Booz said that the School Board and Council need to build bridges, not burn them. She said that the comments are a distraction that undermines the Board’s work.
“Our focus must always be on asking the right questions, holding staff accountable, and working together to improve our schools—not on creating divisions between the very bodies that need to collaborate,” Booz said. “As an elected official, I have been on both the winning and losing sides of votes. But once a decision is made, I respect the will of the Board and work to implement it for the benefit of our students, even if it wasn’t my preferred outcome. This is how leadership works—we move forward together.”
Harris said ACPS staff work hard and are deserving of praise, not criticism.
“No one is immune to criticism, but when it falls into the line of disrespect, that’s when I have to step up and speak on it, because as electeds, we’re put here for that type of criticism, not our staff,” Harris said. “Will there continue to be challenges? Absolutely, but how can they (staff) feel comfortable coming to this environment every day? All they do is get poked and prod on, mainly by the ones they should be trusting the most.”
Elnoubi left the meeting early and was not present to witness the comments from his colleagues. He said that disagreements can create tension and that his comments weren’t personal.
“As a member of the School Board and a candidate for City Council, I shared my perspective on certain decisions that I believe are not in the best interest of our community,” Elnoubi said. “My critique focused solely on policies and decisions, not the individuals behind the decisions.”
Elnoubi continued, “I am not going to engage with personal attacks. I have always acted independently on the School Board, advocating for our community. If elected to City Council, I will continue to be a strong and fair voice, committed to open dialogue and constructive solutions. To move forward effectively, we must be willing to address challenges transparently and learn from past decisions to avoid repeating mistakes. I believe that by working together, we can create meaningful change for our community.”
