New MPS board member James Ferguson sworn in

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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Public Schools board officially has its newest member.  James Ferguson was sworn into the role Tuesday night after being elected on Tuesday. 

Ferguson's addition fills out the board. He ran unopposed in a special election to replace Aisha Carr, who resigned in May amid numerous controversies.

Ferguson will be tasked with helping to govern the state's largest school district as it works to navigate a number of high stakes issues. Those include wide racial disparities in student achievement, an ongoing dispute with the city over how to pay for the mandatory return of police officers to schools and how to finalize a plan to either close or merge some schools in the next few years. 

MPS recently released a list of 13 schools being considered for closure or mergers, most of which are in Ferguson's district. He says he hopes the process of reaching a final decision is a community-driven process.

"The more brains around the table with the same heart, in terms of seeing the district succeed and being successful, when we're all on one accord in that way, I'm confident that as a district, we're going to make the right decisions about what schools, if any, should be closed," Ferguson said. 

Carr had been accused of secretly recording a conversation with former Superintendent Keith Posley. She's since been criminally charged with failing to live in the district for which she was elected, as well as a separate charge accusing her of committing food stamp fraud.

A city spokesperson also confirmed Tuesday Carr's employment with Milwaukee's Office of Community Wellness and Safety, formerly known as the Office of Violence Prevention, ended in February.

Ferguson's background includes working with youth and community-based nonprofits. He said those experiences, along with the fact he attended MPS schools, would allow him to quickly make an impact on the board.

"The schools, the students are students that I know very well," he said. "I've worked with them my entire career, so I'm not necessarily an outsider coming in."

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