Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Appointment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Detroit school board appoints Reverend Dr. Steve Bland Jr., approves volunteer policy second reading
Summary
At a July 28 special meeting, the Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education appointed Reverend Dr. Steve Bland Jr. to a vacant seat and approved Policy 3.120.09 (volunteer support) as a second reading; the board also described its sealed, scored-selection process and offered applicants access to ranking records.
The Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education on July 28 appointed Reverend Dr. Steve Bland Jr. to fill the board vacancy left by Angelique Peterson Mayberry and approved Policy 3.120.09 (volunteer support) on a second reading.
Board leaders opened a special meeting at 5:37 p.m., certified that notice of the meeting had been delivered on July 7, 2025, and confirmed a quorum. Vania Moore, the board secretary, read meeting norms and the board moved immediately to business. A motion to amend the agenda to add the volunteer policy as a second read passed by voice vote, and a subsequent motion to adopt Policy 3.120.09 as a second reading also carried after Doctor Iris Taylor seconded the motion.
Office of Legal Counsel and outside counsel described how the board selected its replacement. "All of the scoring was done on Thursday at the conclusion of interviews," the Office of Legal Counsel said, and those scores "were placed into a sealed envelope" and kept in the Floyd Allen law firm safe before being unsealed and tabulated for this meeting. After tabulation, outside counsel Nicole Hunter announced the top-scoring candidate: Reverend Dr. Steve Bland Jr. A motion to appoint Bland was made, seconded and advanced to a vote.
The chair called a voice vote and declared the motion carried. The board then conducted a roll-call vote: Monique Bryant, Sherry Gay Daniego and Doctor Iris Taylor recorded support; Latrice McClendon and Bishop Colette Vaughn recorded "yes." The clerk reported a tally of four yes votes. Following the vote, the board invited Bland forward for a ceremonial swearing-in. He repeated an acceptance of office and the constitutional oath: "I, Reverend Doctor Steve Bland Junior, do hereby accept the office ... and I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of a member of the board of education of Detroit Public Schools Community District."
Board members also addressed transparency about the selection process. A vice chair thanked applicants and suggested creating a strategic advisory council to maintain engagement with candidates; a board member noted applicants and others may contact the board office to learn their ranking. The chair said all candidate files and related materials would be retained in the board office for review.
The board also announced that the new member will serve on the academic committee in place of Angelique Peterson Mayberry, and Monique Bryant was named the academic committee chair. The meeting adjourned by consensus.
Votes at a glance: Motion to approve agenda — adopted (voice vote). Motion to add Policy 3.120.09 as a second read — adopted (voice vote). Motion to approve Policy 3.120.09 (second read) — adopted (voice vote). Motion to appoint Reverend Dr. Steve Bland Jr. to fill vacancy — adopted (voice vote; roll-call recorded: Monique Bryant: yes/support; Sherry Gay Daniego: yes/support; Doctor Iris Taylor: yes/support; Latrice McClendon: yes; Bishop Colette Vaughn: yes; clerk reported 4 yes).
