Dearborn Board of Education holds special meeting to interview candidates for two trustee vacancies

Dearborn — The Dearborn Board of Education opened a special meeting Tuesday evening to interview applicants for two trustee vacancies, beginning a multi‑day process that trustees said will conclude with a selection prior to the next regular meeting.

At 6:02 p.m., President Mozamb called the meeting to order and led the board in the Pledge of Allegiance. Trustees conducted roll call and outlined the process: each candidate will have five minutes to answer three pre‑submitted questions, the board will give a fair warning at 4:30, and there will be no follow‑up questions. The board said 35 applicants were originally scheduled and that two had already withdrawn; additional withdrawals were noted during the meeting. The board plans additional interviews Thursday and a special meeting on Sept. 8 to select replacements.

Candidates emphasized a similar set of priorities: oversight of district finances and facilities, thoughtful hiring for top leadership, and attention to student supports. "I have more than 10 years ... grants management experience, corporate oversight, board facilitation," said Steven Hernandez, who described himself as a parent with children in Dearborn schools and said he would prioritize ethics and fiscal oversight if appointed. Hernandez also urged keeping the district's "borderline exemption" that allows staff to enroll their children at the schools where they work, saying it helps recruit and retain teachers.

Manar Seydi, who identified herself as a Yemeni and Lebanese community member and a supervisor of operations and quality at Corewell Health, said trustees must center students while applying data‑driven oversight. "Students must have access to age‑appropriate high‑quality resources that support their learning and reflect the diversity of their community," Seydi said, adding that trustees should respect nondiscrimination law and listen to teachers when questions about books and instructional materials arise.

Former trustee Jim Thorpe said he would offer experience during a period of leadership transition. "This is a trying time ... with two different searches commencing," Thorpe said, referencing the superintendent and Henry Ford College president searches, and noting the potential for an infrastructure bond in coming years.

Joseph Merry, who described a background in higher education and community engagement, and Ramsey Seimoa, a construction manager and city planning commissioner who said he has overseen "over $30,000,000 in construction budgets," both stressed infrastructure and budget discipline as priorities if appointed.

Several candidates raised student supports and special education. A candidate who identified involvement with the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition and work as a registered behavior technician urged stronger special‑education services and strict compliance with disability law.

Attorney and nonprofit board member Mohammed Ali Hamoud said governance, legal analysis and transparent community engagement would guide his approach to major district decisions. "A successful bond requires public trust and transparency," Hamoud said, citing prior board discussions about infrastructure and a Sept. 24, 2024 special meeting on facility needs. Hamoud noted that the Dearborn Education Foundation awarded more than $180,000 in scholarships and grants last year.

Board members repeatedly underscored the compressed schedule for filling the vacancies. Trustees said the interviews will continue Thursday with public comment sections on both days and that the board will hold a Sept. 8 special meeting immediately before a regular meeting to act on appointments.

The board recessed for five minutes at the close of the evening’s interviews and said it would return to continue the process.