Moss, new Selma BOE sworn in
Published 9:30 pm Thursday, November 3, 2016
Shown are new Selma City Schools President Johnny Moss and from left board members Danielle Wooten, Brenda Randolph-Obomanu, Phyllis Moore-Houser and Tanya Miles.
By Blake Deshazo | The Selma Times-Journal
The Selma City School Board welcomed new faces Thursday night, as four newly elected members and one re-elected member took the oath of office.
Johnny Moss is sworn in as president of Selma City Schools board of education during a ceremony Thursday at Selma High School. Four new board of education members were also sworn in along with incumbent Brenda Randolph-Obomanu.
New President Johnny Moss was sworn in alongside Danielle Wooten for District 1, Phyllis Moore-Houser for District 3 and Tanya Miles for District 4. Brenda Randolph-Obomanu, who was re-elected for District 2, was also sworn in.
“You have been charged by a community in need,” said pastor Dexter Patterson, who spoke before they were sworn in. “It’s a noble task to be voted in by the people. People think highly of you, and I charge you to do your best everyday, every meeting.”
Each member stood in front of a crowded Selma High School Library and took their oath from Circuit Judge Collins Pettaway.
“It was very exciting but very humbling at the same time,” Wooten said. “I do have three children myself. I have one son that is in the school system and the other two will follow, so it is very important to me that we have a school system that works for everyone and prepares our kids for the future.”
As Moss stood with his wife and two children, he took in the responsibility that was charged to him.
“When you take that oath and hear that oath, you realize how much responsibility is really entailed in it, and I was just trying to take it all in,” Moss said.
After taking their affirmation, old board members were asked to retire their position and let the new board members take their seat.
Former President Henry Hicks also passed down the gavel to new President Johnny Moss, who smiled as he struck it for the first time after taking his chair.
“I’ve always wanted to do it, so it just makes everything official,” Moss said with a smile.
The school board underwent a lot of changes Thursday, but Miles said change can be a good thing.
“We have a lot of new faces. We’re a new board coming in with an open mind and a clean slate,” Miles said. “We’re here to support to superintendent and her ideas and her visions for the school system. We’re here to make sure that our children are getting the best education possible.”
Moore-Houser said the school board has spent the last few weeks getting to know each other in preparation for taking on their new roles.
“We’ve been getting a feel for it,” Moore-Houser said. “We’ve got a lot of material to read and a lot of stuff to catch on. Although today is the swearing-in, we’ve been working already.”
After being sworn in the new board got right to work with a work session for next Tuesday’s board meeting, which will be at 6 p.m. in the Selma High library.
