New-look MPS board elects new president amid power struggle

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The board overseeing Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) elected a new president Tuesday in a process that had the makings of a power struggle between groups who see the embattled district's problems very differently. 

In a 6-3 vote, the board elected Missy Zombor president over James Ferguson. Zombor has served on the board for two years while Ferguson was voted onto the board last fall in a special election where he ran unopposed. 

Before the meeting even started, there was disruption. A small group in the audience heckled Zombor, accusing her of being part of a status quo that has led to the district's ongoing struggles with some of the nation's worst test scores among urban districts, late financial reporting and, most recently, dangerous levels of lead found in at least seven schools.

After initially being ordered to leave, two women were allowed to stay. Angela Harris, an MPS teacher and chair of the Black Educators Caucus, was one of the women heckling Zombor.

During the election, board members were allowed to nominate candidates for president. After being nominated, Zombor and Ferguson each gave brief speeches. 

Zombor focused on some of the less heralded work she's done since being elected in 2023, including a review of MPS' expulsion process, bringing an agriculture program to Vincent High School and efforts to improve transparency and efficiency. 

"I helped the board uncover and eliminate wasteful contracts, like the Milwaukee Education Partnership contract," Zombor said. "I helped develop the new audit committee charter to give the board an additional layer of expert oversight."

Zombor was clearly backed by the members of the teachers union, the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association (MTEA), in attendance. Ferguson presented himself as an agent of changed. He was backed by the group including Harris and others who tried unsuccessfully to recall Zombor and three other board members last summer.

The recall group told reporters they didn't know who was funding their effort while the union questioned whether the effort was bankrolled by pro-voucher advocates. Meanwhile, Zombor's critics have accused her of acting at the behest of the MTEA.

Ferguson cast himself as an agent of change who would represent a clean break from the district leadership that oversaw a fiscal calamity that, at one point, threatened the state's ability to give all school districts accurate aid estimates because MPS was so late to provide audited data last spring.

"It doesn't help if we change the superintendent and everybody else, but the board remains the same," Ferguson said. "It's time for us to embrace the newness of this moment."

Ferguson replaced Aisha Carr on the MPS board. Carr resigned last year and was later charged with misconduct in office and committing food stamp fraud. She faced a series of new felony charges Tuesday, mostly related to alleged violations of campaign finance laws.

After the election, Harris and others in the pro-Ferguson group left the meeting. They argued the board missed an opportunity to reset.

"We had an opportunity tonight to vote for change, to move away from the status quo," Harris said. "And we decided to stick with it, and it hasn't done anything for our children or our school district."

Zombor pushed back on the idea she's part of an old guard, noting she's only been on the board for two years. She acknowledged one of her first jobs will be improving relationships with families who don't trust district leadership.

"I'm happy to work with anyone in the MPS family," she told reporters after the meeting. "Happy to have conversations with people and see where we can find unity around shared interests."

Tuesday's meeting was the first for an MPS board that has seen one-third of its nine-member board change following this month's spring election. Christopher Fons has replaced former vice president Jilly Gokalgandhi, Katherine Vannoy replaced Henry Leonard, and Mimi Reza replaced Marcela "Xela" Garcia.

For all the change, there is some continuity coming from Tuesday's meeting. Former President Marva Herndon was elected vice president. The vote was 6-3, breaking along the same lines as the vote for president.