Tuesday evening, the Columbus City Council appointed two members to the Columbus Municipal School District – Stephen Jones and Currie Fisher.
While the outcome was predictable, the way the council arrived at its decisions was not.
For better or worse, part of the fate of the city’s schools lies squarely on the shoulders of Mayor Robert Smith.
You break it, you own it, Mr. Mayor.
In the end, I am not sure who should be more embarrassed: The city of Columbus or Josie Shumake, who was twice nominated and twice rejected for a spot on the school board Tuesday. Both deserved better, that’s for sure.
Immediately after the council meeting, a decidedly uncomfortable Smith, who probably had never imagined that he would be required to break two ties on the selections, was complimentary of Shumake.
The Mayor acknowledged that Shumake was indeed qualified. Apparently she was so qualified that the Mayor voted against her not once, but twice.
Let’s be very blunt here: Shumake’s credentials, which include 25 years in the U.S. Diplomatic Corps, qualify her for virtually any position the city might have to offer.
It’s hard to imagine that any city of the size of Columbus would not jump at the chance to have someone of Shumake’s abilities serve in a meaningful capacity. It’s tragically comical, in fact.
So, yeah, Mayor, all three candidates whose names were presented to council were qualified but they were not equally qualified.
Shumake, as might be expected, comported herself much as you might suspect. She stayed for the entire meeting, even stopping to chat with councilman Kabir Karriem, whose substitute motion in favor of Jones derailed her nomination for a spot on the board.
But if Karriem was exposed for his naked politics in his rush to derail Shumake’s candidacy, it was even more apparent with the Mayor. When Smith broke a 3-3 tie to vote Jones into the spot on the board, it was clearly, unequivocally, a vote against Shumake. There can be no other rational conclusion. Meaning no disrespect toward Jones, who may well serve with distinction, the process that put both Jones and Shumake before the council at the same time created a “him or her” situation that should never had emerged. Karriem’s substitute motion created this regrettable situation and it is much a disservice to Jones as it was to Shumake.
The Mayor wasn’t off the hook, either.
Figuring that turn-about is fair play, Gavin made a substitute motion to appoint Shumake after Karriem placed incumbent board member Currie Fisher’s name into nomination.
With the same 3-3 deadlock, this time the Mayor was forced to vote directly on Shumake’s worthiness for the position. The Mayor voted against Shumake’s appointment and. Fisher was then appointed to return to the board.
In this instance, the Mayor’s position cannot be mischaracterized. It was Shumake vs. Fisher, change vs. status quo.
The Mayor is on record as voting for the status quo.
And I have to wonder why the Mayor made that choice. During Fisher’s entire tenure, the district has been rated “underperforming.” The obvious question is this: What can Fisher point to that would inspire any confidence in her ability to help lead the district?
Did the Mayor have another, better option?
The answer to that question would seem to be, “yes!” There is little doubt of it when you measure Shumake’s credentials against Fisher’s performance.
No matter what the Mayor might feebly argue, his self-interest has prevailed over what’s best for the city and its schools. To put the city over his own political interests would have been a lot to expect of the Mayor, of course. In the end, it was far, far too much to expect of him.
The Mayor made his decision.
He owns it now.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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