FCPS superintendent Dr. Demetrus Liggins leaves the room during a Monday night meeting, causing community member Matthew Veid to hold his peace until Liggins returns. This situation caused a seven-minute standoff between the two, and other community members also didn’t speak till he returned. Vied was asked to address the board moments before Liggins left the room.
This heated moment was caused by the ongoing financial problems of FCPS, which have been persisting for months. Last May, the district announced it faced a $16 million budget deficit. Due to these issues, the district formed a community board to help address the budget and what can be placed to support FCPS. However, in August, after the board was formed, WKYT discovered that the contingency was supposed to be much less than expected. This relieved many board members and workers, although they did not get rid of the community board.
Back to the board meeting a couple of months later, Vied believed that Liggins needed to go. Vied called the walkout disrespectful and then said that the district needs new leadership. Vied also doesn’t want to wait till the school year is over; he wants him to resign immediately. These statements clearly showed Vied’s opinion on Liggins and his beliefs in store for the future of FCPS.
“We get two chances a month to address the superintendent,” Vied said.
After Liggins returned seven minutes later, Vied immediately called for his resignation. Liggins wanted to make clear that his exit from the meeting was allowed, and he had the choice to do so. As expected, Liggins’ reaction was not positive, but he kept quiet and waited for FCPS to announce formally.
“Our focus must remain on supporting students and staff to the highest level, and we ask that all inquiries prioritize this shared commitment,” FCPS announced.
To conclude, this professional statement made by Liggins and FCPS could have been handled much worse; however, it was a good decision to keep a positive impact on the rest of the year for students and staff working in FCPS.
