The Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education has adopted a process to fill an anticipated vacancy following the appointment of Board Member Sherry Gay-Dagnogo as the city’s next Ombudsman.
The board acted during a special meeting Wednesday, moving to streamline the selection by offering the seat to the runner-up from the district’s July 2025 vacancy process instead of launching a new public search.
Gay-Dagnogo is expected to resign in the coming days to begin her new role with the city, which will leave an open seat on the seven-member board. The board’s decision means the next appointee will serve through December 2026, aligning with Michigan Association of School Boards policy that requires appointed members to run in the next scheduled board election.
Board President Corletta J. Vaughn framed the decision as a step to maintain stability.
“On behalf of the Board of Education, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Board Member Sherry Gay-Dagnogo on her appointment as the City of Detroit Ombudsman. We thank her for her dedicated service to Detroit’s children and families. As a Board, we also recognize the importance of continuity and stability in governance,” Vaughn said. “This new process ensures that we maintain momentum as we continue to serve our students with integrity, accountability, and unwavering commitment.”
The streamlined process lays out specific steps: within 24 hours of the meeting, the board’s third-party administrator, Allen Law Group, will contact the second highest-ranking candidate from July’s process. That person will have 24 hours to accept or decline. If they accept, the board will hold a special meeting to confirm the appointment. If they decline, the board will reconvene to decide next steps.
Gay-Dagnogo confirmed that during discussion Wednesday, Vaughn identified the runner-up as Bessie Harris, a retired special education teacher and former principal at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy. Harris previously ran for the school board in 2020 and 2022. Her name was not intended to be shared publicly at this stage, and several members quickly objected. Vice Chair Latrice McClendon and others urged the board to follow procedure and later voted to strike Harris’ name from the meeting record.
Board members debated whether relying on the July finalist list was the right path. The July process filled the vacancy created when Angelique Peterson-Mayberry left the board for the Wayne County Commission. That search lasted a month, with 14 candidates submitting applications and completing public interviews. Resumes and written responses were scored, and candidates were interviewed during a public meeting before the board voted to appoint Steven Bland Jr.
Board Member Monique Bryant argued that repeating the entire process would be unnecessary.
“In light of the fact that we just went through this less than 90 days ago, we had more than enough candidates that we have already vetted,” she said, noting the administrative burden of organizing another series of meetings. Gay-Dagnogo also said streamlining the selection would allow the board to focus on pressing district business rather than a new round of interviews.
Other members disagreed. Iris Taylor raised concerns that suspending the district’s stated vacancy policy could erode public trust.
Bland, the most recent appointee, also opposed the move, pointing out that he did not participate in July’s process and wanted an opportunity to review candidates directly.
The district’s policy calls for vacancy appointments to be filled by seeking applications from the public, conducting interviews, and holding a majority vote. The board must appoint a replacement within 30 days of a vacancy being announced. On Wednesday, four members — Bryant, Gay-Dagnogo, McClendon, and Ida Short — voted to suspend the policy to allow the new approach. Vaughn, Taylor, and Bland voted against the suspension.
Once the policy was suspended, the board adopted the process to offer the seat to the runner-up from July, with Taylor abstaining from the final vote.
If Harris or another runner-up accepts the appointment, the board will convene a special meeting for an official vote. A majority of the board must still approve the appointment before the new member is seated.
Vaughn said the decision honors the recent public process while avoiding unnecessary delays. “We look forward to our newly appointed board member working to continue the mission and vision of DPSCD as we ensure all students are career, college, and workforce ready,” Vaughn said. “We will continue to ROAR.”
