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Board approves 90-day interim principals at Withrow and Taft, bars interims from picking LSDMC members and directs policy review
Summary
After weeks of community concern, the Cincinnati Public Schools board approved two interim principal appointments for Withrow and Taft high schools for 90 days effective July 1, with an amendment preventing interims from participating in LSDMC selection and a referral to the policy committee to review LSDMC procedures.
The Cincinnati Public Schools Board voted July 9 to appoint two interim principals for Withrow and Taft high schools for 90 days beginning July 1, and amended the motion to prevent those interim appointees from participating in Local School Decision-Making Committee (LSDMC) member selection.
Board Member Craig placed the motion on the floor to accept the two names previously submitted into interim roles for a 90-day period starting July 1; a friendly amendment — accepted by the mover — specified that the interims “not be permitted to have any involvement in the selection of their LSDMC or their principal selection process.” The motion carried on a roll-call vote: Craig and Crossett voted yes; Lindy and Mapp voted no; Weinberg, Bolton and President Moffitt voted yes. The chair recorded the motion as carried.
The appointments followed earlier community and board concerns about the principal selection process at Withrow and Taft. Superintendent Murphy said administration had been asked to relaunch a full selection process and had reposted both positions on July 1. She told the board that “our typical time that we have the positions posted is about a 10 day period” and that she expected to bring names back in September.
Superintendent Murphy stated she did not personally support moving forward with the recommended interims immediately, saying, “If the majority of the board agrees with that, then you all can go ahead and move forward with it, but I want it to be stated that I am not okay with it.” Several board members argued for policy and procedural clarity. Board Member Craig urged the policy committee to clarify whether interim appointees may serve in roles that influence LSDMC composition, and President Moffitt directed the policy committee to review LSDMC policy and make recommendations on interim participation and other procedural safeguards.
Board discussion also emphasized student stability as a priority. Some members and several speakers during public comment urged a longer interim (a full school year) at Taft and Withrow to reduce disruption; others said using current assistant principals as short-term interims was a widely used practice and provided stability. The board assigned the policy committee to propose policy changes to govern interim roles and LSDMC procedures and asked administration to draft related procedural guidelines for the committee’s review.
The board’s action was limited to naming the temporary appointments, restricting interims’ involvement in LSDMC membership selection, and directing the policy committee to review the LSDMC policy; no permanent principal appointments were made at the meeting.
