Indian River school board appoints representative to NAACP work group after heated public comment

The School Board of Indian River County voted 4-1 on April 28 to appoint a board representative to the district's NAACP work group after extended public comment that included sharply divided views on the longtime federal desegregation order.

The vote followed more than an hour of public testimony both opposing and supporting the reappointment of a board member to the work group and a nomination from a board member to select a different representative. Board member William Dyer nominated Carrie Berenborn for the role; the nomination carried on a 4-1 vote.

Board action matters because the work group is charged with negotiating measures tied to a court-supervised desegregation order that has affected the district for decades. Speakers during public input urged two contrasting outcomes: some urged the board to press for removal from the court order, and others said the district must continue to address longstanding equity concerns before unitary status can be certified.

Community members who opposed reappointing the incumbent cited a lack of trust and questioned whether that person could work effectively with the NAACP and its attorneys. "This work group cannot give someone their civil or human rights, but they can take them away by obstructing due process," speaker Dana King told the board, urging selection of a representative who would build trust and be accountable.

Supporters of keeping the incumbent or appointing a new representative said continuing progress and practical problem-solving mattered most. "Let's get this behind us and appoint Jackie again to the NAACP work group," said Marshawn Green, who urged an end to the recurring dispute to save taxpayer money and move toward solutions. Others said the district has made measurable progress on graduation and achievement gaps and should focus on the agreed performance indicators.

Superintendent David Moore told the board he has spent substantial time working on unitary-status efforts and that both sides had agreed on key performance indicators to avoid open-ended debate. "A year and a half to create the KPIs," Moore said, "so we can clearly provide information aligned to the collectively agreed upon indicators." He told the board his priority is to see the district obtain unitary status in the identified areas.

The board's motion to appoint Berenborn was moved by William Dyer and seconded; the roll-call-style result was announced as 4 in favor, 1 opposed. The record does not show individual board vote names in the transcript.

The appointment is effective through the board's annual organizational meeting in November 2025. The board chair noted the vote was not unanimous and said the split reflected different views among members.

The desegregation order and the work group have been a recurring expense and focus for the district. Speakers at the meeting and the superintendent referenced prior legal fees and the long timeline of litigation and compliance work; one public speaker and the superintendent each referenced historical and legal background going back decades.

The board did not take additional action on policy changes tied to the work group at the meeting. The newly appointed representative will participate in the next stages of the work-group process and in any further mediation required by the court.

Looking ahead, the district and the NAACP will continue meetings to review the agreed key performance indicators and to pursue the documentation the court has required for any decision about unitary status.