Congratulations David Fox School Board Chair and Gracie Porter School Board Vice Chair

Fox elected chair of school board
By: Amy Griffith, agriffith@nashvillecitypaper.com
Posted: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 1:42 am
David Fox has been elected chair of Nashville’s Board of Education. In a board vote, Fox was narrowly selected over Gracie Porter. Porter was subsequently elected vice chair of the board.“This has been kind of a discombobulating eight or nine months for the Board of Education. … I know I, too, have been wrestling with what’s the proper role for the school board under Restructuring I status,” Fox said at the meeting, prior to the vote. “I believe that as [the state] steps back, it is time … for the school board to step up.”Fox was nominated for the position by board member Steve Glover. Voting in favor of Fox were Karen Johnson, Mark North, Glover, and new board member Alan Coverstone. Porter was nominated by Jo Ann Brannon, and supported with votes from Ed Kindall and new board member Sharon Gentry. Both Fox and Porter voted for themselves.Porter — who also ran unsuccessfully for chair last year, when she ran against recently departed board member Marsha Warden — was elected vice chair in a vote as narrow as that of the chair race. Board member Johnson was nominated for vice chair, but narrowly defeated by Porter.Supporting Porter with their votes were Brannon, Coverstone, Kindall and Gentry. Fox, Glover and North voted for Johnson. Both Johnson and Porter voted for themselves.“I will try to do my level best, as always,” Porter said, after being elected vice chair. “My goal is to support the chair in every way that I can. We may not always agree, but that’s OK.”
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Fox elected as Metro school board chief
He sees reform as necessary, businesslike
By JAIME SARRIO • Staff Writer • September 10, 2008
The TennesseanLocal businessman and school-reform supporter David Fox was elected chairman of the Metro Nashville Board of Education on Tuesday, beating out retired principal Gracie Porter by a narrow 5-4 vote.
Fox, a financial adviser who represents the affluent Hillsboro area, will fill the spot vacated by Marsha Warden, who chose not to seek re-election for her District 9 seat this year.
The father of three said he wants to help improve the troubled school district, which this year lost a director of schools and was taken over by the state after not meeting academic benchmarks.
"I believe as the state steps back, it is time for the school board to step up and take control of the school system," he said.
"I think it is time for us to take the lead on efforts to reform public education in Nashville."
Fox was supported by Mark North, Steve Glover, newcomer Alan Coverstone and Karen Johnson. His own vote put him on top. The remainder of the board members — Gracie Porter, Edward Kindall, Jo Ann Brannon and newcomer Sharon Gentry — voted for Porter, who represents East Nashville. She was elected vice chair.
His support was strong
Fox, a former journalist at The Tennessean, was elected to the board in 2006, beating out incumbent Kathleen Harkey, who had the support of the local teachers union.
Both candidates raised more than $20,000 in the hotly contested race, and Fox had the support of the Chamber of Commerce's powerful political action committee.
Since joining the board, Fox has earned the respect of other board members with his deliberate, often scripted comments and his reserved temperament.
Fox chaired the board's finance committee for two years and has been vocal about the selection of the next director of schools, favoring a nontraditional business type versus a seasoned superintendent.
The normally low-key board member took the spotlight in January when he began advocating for a change in state law that would allow the mayor to wipe out the school board and select new members.
"We must have people who have experience successfully leading or governing big organizations through challenging times," he said in January. "You can assemble a board populated with those rare skills only through a careful appointment process."
Fox's idea to let the mayor rule ruffled the feathers of other board members and ultimately didn't gain much traction. But it solidified his reputation as a pro-reform leader.
Still, Fox's measured response to controversial issues has earned him the support of the local teachers union, the Metro Nashville Education Association.
MNEA President Erick Huth said that in the last two years, Fox has established himself as a fair and independent board member.
"David seems to be someone who thinks about the issues," he said. "He's respectful, easy to talk to and likes to reason."
Term is for one year
Tuesday night Fox took the chairman's seat where he will stay for the next 12 months. He plans to focus on improving leadership and selecting a director of schools who will move the district forward, he said.
This year, the state will have the power to remove board members if Metro schools don't meet academic benchmarks.
The board's work from here on out will play a role in the state's decision, said officials from the Tennessee Department of Education.
East Nashville parent and school advocate Francie Hunt said she thinks Fox and Porter make a strong partnership.
"The phrase dream ticket comes to mind," she said. "Gracie's got a long impressive history in our schools and David has a focused, serious professional approach to leadership."
Contact Jaime Sarrio at 726-5964 or jsarrio@tennessean.com.