W.Va. BOE Elects Former Delegate, New Appointee to Lead Board

The West Virginia Board of Education has elected a new president and vice president after a string of resignations this week. 

Former Delegate Tom Campbell was elected president of the board during an emergency meeting Thursday. A certified public accountant, Campbell was appointed by Gov. Tomblin in 2012 and after several resignations is now the board’s longest-serving member.

Newly appointed board member Chuck Hatfield, a veteran educator who was chosen by Gov. Jim Justice just last month, will serve as vice president.

The emergency meeting was called after board president Mike Green and vice president Lloyd Jackson abruptly resigned from their positions Tuesday evening.  

In a written statement, Jackson pointed to Justice’s dislike of the state’s A-F school grading system and the required 180 days of instruction as his reasons for stepping aside to let “a new member make the necessary decisions.”

Before the election of new officers Thursday, Campbell read a letter from current board secretary Beverly Kingery, who said she would resign from her leadership position, but not from the board as a whole.

Kingery also wrote she did not wish to participate in the election of new board members.

Since taking office on Jan. 16, Justice has appointed four former educators to the nine-member school board. There is still one open position for him to fill.