After six hours of discussions that ended early Thursday morning, the Providence School Board opted to postpone a vote on removing President Ty’Relle Stephens until the next regular board meeting on Nov. 18.
The vote follows months of controversy over Providence School Board leadership, which involved a heavily publicized conflict between Stephens and Rhode Island Department of Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green.
The Wednesday meeting began at 6 p.m. with three hours of public discussion before shifting to a private executive session. After deciding to postpone the removal vote in the closed discussion, the board resumed its public session at 12:05 a.m.
The board cited a desire for more time to review their bylaws, which will allow Stephens to serve as president for at least the next few weeks.
“My commitment remains unchanged: To keep the educational interests of Providence’s children at the forefront of our work,” Stephens wrote in a letter to the Providence community earlier this week announcing the motion for his removal. “If I were in my colleagues’ position, I would think long and hard about this decision, because given the choice, I would much rather deal with Ty’Relle Stephens, the President, than Ty’Relle Stephens, the Board member.”
On Sept. 14, board Vice President Anjel Newmann filed a complaint with RIDE alleging that Stephens violated state law by preventing the board’s majority from adding a motion to remove him from the presidency to their Sept. 23 meeting agenda. On Oct. 18, Infante-Green issued an order stating that the board could vote to remove Stephens.
Stephens wrote in his letter to the Providence community that he was concerned about the decision to bring the issue to RIDE. “I have become increasingly concerned by the Commissioner’s conduct throughout the restoration of local control,” he wrote. Providence Public School District was transitioned from state to local control in July.
In an email to The Herald, RIDE Chief of External Affairs Victor Morente wrote that the order is “focused on a question of state education law: whether a majority of Providence School Board members have the authority to seek the removal of board officers who, under Rhode Island law, serve ‘at the pleasure’ of the board.”
“It is profoundly disappointing that the state’s highest education official appears increasingly entangled in internal governance disputes while the academic achievement and educational well-being of Providence’s children demand urgent attention,” Stephens added.
“I think after Ty’Relle is removed, the school board will be able to do its job better,” said Corey Jones, one of the board members who filed the motion to vote on Stephens’ removal, in an interview ahead of the Oct. 21 meeting.
Jones named several charges against Stephens, alleging that he created a difficult work environment and previously made suspect promises to his campaign donors, including promising them positions in the PPSD.
Stephens “categorically denies these allegations,” he wrote. “They are entirely fabricated and unsupported by any evidence presented to me.” He added that, “as board president, I do not possess independent statutory authority to appoint school department personnel. Any suggestion that I could unilaterally guarantee such appointments fundamentally misrepresents the established division of responsibilities between the school board and superintendent.”
Three senior PPSD officials resigned in September, publicly criticizing Stephens during a school board meeting. “Ty’Relle is extremely difficult to work with,” Jones said, which makes it “very difficult to recruit talent in a district that needs the best-quality talent.”
When one candidate applied to a position in the Providence schools, Jones said, “Ty’Relle didn’t disclose that (the) applicant … had worked on his political campaign, which is a clear conflict of interest.”
“As board president, I do not possess independent statutory authority to appoint School Department personnel,” Stephens wrote to The Herald. “Any suggestion that I could unilaterally guarantee such appointments fundamentally misrepresents the established division of responsibilities between the School Board and Superintendent.”
Jones acknowledged that there is a limited amount of proof behind his allegations, but said that “when you hear repeated rumors that you know all are quite similar … that you know it’s usually not a coincidence and it’s probably true.”
“The chairman is entitled to his opinion,” Stephens wrote. “However, my focus remains where it has been for the past six years: on the students of Providence public schools and ensuring they receive the quality education they deserve.”
Amber Marcus-Blank is a metro editor covering youth & education. She is a senior from outside of Boston studying Political Science and Public Health on the pre-law track. She is interested in working in politics and journalism in the future and enjoys playing soccer and making playlists in her free time.
Nate Barkow is a senior staff writer for the Youth and Education beat and a co-chief of The Herald's social media team. He is from New York City and plans on concentrating in International and Public Affairs and Education Studies. In his free time, he loves trying new restaurants and watching Survivor.
