Bristol board appoints Iris White superintendent and Mary Hawk deputy after contentious public comment

The Bristol Board of Education voted May 7 to appoint Iris White as superintendent of Bristol Public Schools and Mary Hawk as deputy superintendent after public comment and extended discussion among board members.

White, who had been serving as acting superintendent, addressed the board after the vote, saying she was “incredibly honored” and promising to “lead with humility, transparency, and a deep respect for the diversity of thought in our board, staff, and community.” Mary Hawk, whose appointment as deputy also passed, told the board she accepted the role “with deep gratitude and great humility.”

Why it matters: The votes come amid public scrutiny over the district’s finances and leadership, and after an outside audit and multiple internal reviews. The appointments — especially White’s elevation from acting to permanent superintendent — prompted strong views from parents, staff and community members about process, qualifications and confidentiality.

Public comment and board discussion Jason Broyles, a resident who said he had published stakeholder survey results, urged the board to “Delay this vote. Go back to the drawing board and open up this process to the people who have to live with the decisions.” He said he had heard widespread staff fear about district leadership and said he believed the finalists lacked central-office experience.

By contrast, Latonya Farrell, principal of Stafford Elementary, spoke in support of the appointments and described district leadership’s role during a recent student death: “They stood right beside me as I delivered the heartbreaking news to our staff,” she said, noting the superintendent and deputy’s presence at the funeral and school supports.

Commissioners spoke at length before the roll-call vote. Several commissioners cited White’s leadership qualities — “quiet grace and strength,” one commissioner said — and the vendor-led search process the board employed. Other commissioners said they liked White personally but were reluctant to appoint her now because of what they described as limited building-level administrative experience and concerns about the selection process.

The board chair framed the decision as a call to unity while urging commissioners to give the new superintendent a fair chance. White acknowledged disagreements and said she would work to earn trust.

What the board voted on - Appointment of Iris White as superintendent of Bristol Public Schools. The motion carried after a roll-call vote. (See Actions section for the formal motion and recorded votes.) - Appointment of Mary Hawk as deputy superintendent of Bristol Public Schools. That motion passed in a separate roll-call vote; several commissioners voted no on the deputy appointment and others voted yes (see Actions).

Process and context Board members described an extensive search that included a consultant and multiple candidate interview rounds. Some commissioners said the district had never used an outside consultant in this way and defended the integrity of the process. Critics pointed to confidentiality concerns around the search and to online posts that released candidate-related materials.

White and Hawk both thanked mentors, colleagues and family and said they understood the district faces financial and operational challenges. White noted she is the first Black woman appointed superintendent in the district and said that fact weighs “with a special place of pride.”

Ending White said she is “confident we can work together to improve our district,” and Hawk said she was “ready to get to work.” The board’s appointments set the leadership team for a district facing a multimillion-dollar budget gap and ongoing policy and staffing reforms.