Benton Harbor board accepts superintendent’s resignation and appoints high school principal as interim

President Rosalind Robinson read an email from Dr. Simone Griffin into the public record and told the board the resignation was received June 29, 2026, with an effective date of July 24, 2026. The board then voted to accept the separation of employment.

Why it matters: The board moved quickly to fill the district’s top post before the next school year, prompting debate about whether to elevate an internal leader already working with students or bring in a more experienced administrator from outside.

The board statement read by President Robinson thanked Dr. Griffin and said, in part, that serving the Benton Harbor Area Schools community “has been a meaningful professional honor.” The resignation notice in the record says Griffin will “remain committed to supporting an orderly transition.”

Trustee Doyle moved to accept the superintendent’s separation of employment as Board Report B‑1; Vice President Bowen supported the motion. During the roll call on that item President Robinson, Secretary Triplett, Treasurer Gavin, Trustee Rockette Martin and Trustee Doyle voted to accept the resignation; Vice President Bowen was recorded as voting no on that motion. The motion carried.

Trustees then debated how to fill the vacancy. Two candidates were placed before the board: Keith Sanders, the current principal at Benton Harbor High School, and Donald Pearson, a retired former principal who supporters said has about 30 years of experience in the district. Treasurer Gavin and others urged consideration of Pearson’s long service and community support. Gavin said Pearson had “over 30 years of experience in the district” and community members had reacted positively to his potential appointment.

Supporters of Sanders, including Vice President Bowen and Trustee Raquel Martin, argued the district needed someone who could “hit the ground running” and who already knows the buildings, staff and partnership agreements that affect day‑to‑day operations. Bowen said time is of the essence and that Sanders “has the work” and demonstrated recent results at the high school.

Trustee Raquel Martin moved to appoint Keith Sanders as interim superintendent effective July 25, 2026, contingent on contract negotiations; the motion was seconded and brought to a vote. In the roll call for that appointment Vice President Bowen and Trustee Rockette Martin were recorded as voting yes, Treasurer Gavin as voting no, and President Robinson recorded a yes; the transcript does not capture every individual roll‑call response for that vote but shows the motion carried.

Public comment on the decision was strong. Angela Wilson Turnbull urged trustees to prioritize students and warned against “nepotism, favoritism, politics,” urging the board to choose the option that best supports students. Earlier, Robert Cuba, who identified himself as head football coach at Benton Harbor High School, had urged the board to address field maintenance, access to trainers and water at district athletic facilities.

What happens next: President Robinson said she would reach out to Keith Sanders to negotiate an addendum to his contract and expected paperwork to be available at the board’s next meeting on July 14. The board also said it will convene a special meeting to discuss longer‑term transition planning and a permanent superintendent search.

Vote and procedure notes: The board relied on policy 0167.2f to step into closed session earlier in the meeting to review a written legal opinion, and referenced policy 12‑20 (employment of the superintendent) and policy 31‑40 (termination and resignation of professional staff) during the personnel discussion. Where the transcript did not capture every roll‑call utterance, this account reports votes only as recorded in the meeting audio/transcript and notes when specific roll‑call responses were not captured.