Members of the Montgomery County school board convened on Monday to address the recent resignation of Superintendent Dr. Melvin Brown. The board unanimously voted in favor of accepting his resignation.
“We are confident in our ability to recover from this setback and are ready to propel this district towards progress,” expressed Dr. Brenda DeRamus-Coleman, President of the school board, following the conclusion of the vote.
Brown has officially announced his resignation, effective November 1, in a letter submitted to the board. The letter was made public on Saturday.
In his letter, Brown expressed his deep gratitude for the opportunity to work with the professionals of the Montgomery Public Schools over the past two years. He stated that serving the community during this time has been an honor and he is immensely proud of the achievements they have accomplished together. Brown emphasized his appreciation for the time spent at the school and acknowledged the many accomplishments and innovations that the staff has achieved.
He expressed in his letter that he had desired the communication to remain confidential, along with a plan being devised for his departure. However, Brown noted that his letter was subsequently made public.
The resignation of Brown, supported by the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, has been described as “a serious blow” by the Chamber. They are encouraging their members to attend the upcoming school board meeting in order to hold the Board accountable. The Chamber emphasizes the need to support those who are striving for positive change and to identify and address any individuals who may be hindering progress within the system. In an email, the Chamber stated, “As business and community leaders, it is our responsibility to advocate for improvement and to challenge those who are resistant to change.”
“We have been appealing to the board for several months now, highlighting the significant impact Dr. Brown has made in our school system,” stated Anna Buckalew, the Chamber President & CEO, during the meeting. She emphasized the remarkable transformation that has taken place under his leadership. The purpose of our presence here tonight is to ensure that the board understands our unwavering support for him. We would be deeply disappointed if he were allowed to leave, and we stand ready to assist in any way possible with the support of our community.”
In April 2022, Brown was named superintendent of Montgomery Public Schools. Prior to this, he had served as the superintendent for Reynoldsburg City Schools in Ohio, taking over from Dr. Ann Roy Moore.
