The Tulsa Public Schools Board seated two new members and elected two new leaders.
John Croisant and Jerry Griffin won their June 30 runoff elections. Croisant defeated Shane Saunders for the District 5 seat left by Brian Hosmer, and Griffin defeated long-time District 6 incumbent Ruth Ann Fate by 30 votes.
Croisant and Griffin's first votes as new members were against another term for former President Shawna Keller, who led the board through the statewide teacher walkout, district budget crisis, Indian education overhaul and COVID-19 planning. They joined Stacey Woolley and Jennettie Marshall in voting down Keller's nomination by Vice President Suzanne Schreiber.
Griffin then nominated Woolley to serve as president.
"For me, she has all the attributes of an objective person. I haven’t always agreed with what position she’s taken, but she listens and she cares, and I think that’s why I think she would make a great president," Griffin said.
Woolley's district includes Wayman Tisdale Fine Arts Academy, Clinton West, Council Oak, Emerson, Eugene Field and Robertson elementary schools; and Webster Middle and Webster High School.
Woolley’s nomination passed unanimously. Griffin then nominated Marshall to be vice president, an action that was voted down after Schreiber voiced concerns about Marshall challenging the board’s integrity.
Schreiber nominated Jania Wester for vice president, who was praised for representing the Latinx community but criticized by Marshall for not speaking up for Black children.
"You’re representing all children from a leadership perspective, and basically, I have had to represent the African American community of her district. I field those calls on a regular basis," Marshall said.
Wester’s nomination passed with Marshall and Griffin voting against it.
