HANOVER COUNTY, Va. -- The Virginia Conference and Hanover County NAACP are calling for change and action by elected and appointed leaders in Hanover County after a pattern of what they say is disrespectful and dismissive treatment of Black residents by several county leaders.
Last month, appointed school board member John Redd referred to Hanover NAACP President Pat Hunter-Jordan as an “angry African-American lady” in an article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Before those comments, the Hanover NAACP sent a letter to the Hanover Board of Supervisors, who appoints school board members in Hanover, saying Redd was unable to represent a diverse population of students across the school division based on his personal beliefs and comments.
Redd’s quotes, the civil rights organization said at a press conference Wednesday, were just the latest example of inappropriate treatment of Black citizens by school board members.
The NAACP claimed Redd and chairman John Axselle have used offensive language in conversation with Black residents and that Axselle restricted public comment by their members.
“It’s a sad day for us to have to be here,” Hunter-Jordan said. “We have gifts to share, and those gifts sometimes encompass empathy and compassion, which we don’t see in this board.”
“Inflammatory rhetoric has caused us great concern,” said Robert Barnette Jr., President of the Virginia Conference NAACP.
The NAACP chapters are calling on Redd to issue a “real” apology, Axselle to resign his position on the school board and both the Hanover School Board and Board of Supervisors to undergo implicit bias and cultural sensitivity training.
Hanover County sent the following statement to CBS 6.
“Hanover County prides itself in listening to all our residents and the concerns they have. We appreciate and encourage citizen engagement. We assure you that everyone will be heard, and the comments, thoughts and recommendations made at today’s event will be shared with our entire Hanover County Board of Supervisors for their consideration. We cannot speak for Mr. Johnny Redd. He is a school board member. We encourage reaching out to Hanover Schools.”
Axselle sent a statement to CBS 6 saying the school board works to accommodate all speakers during their meetings and adds there are multiple avenues for citizens to relay information to the board.
“Regarding training, school board members routinely participate in training sessions, such as those offered by the Virginia School Boards Association, that cover a wide variety of topics,” Axselle wrote.
“With regard to the concern over my language, while I do not specifically remember making a statement as you characterize, any reference that I would have made would have simply intended to convey that we, as School Board members, have a responsibility to serve the needs of all students, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or otherwise,” he continued.
Mr. Redd did not return requests for comment.
“This is a municipality, and the government should not be run based on religion or the fact of who you are as a person,” Hunter-Jordan said.
Part of the problem NAACP leaders see in Hanover is the appointed model for the school board. Hanover’s Board of Supervisors appoints School Board members through a nomination process and vote.
Redd was approved with a 5-2 vote.
On Hanover’s School Board currently, one of the seven members is Black, and she is the only woman. According to data compiled by Hanover Schools, one of four students in the district is a person of color.
“How can they be represented in these top-level appointments?” Barnette said.
In order to shift from the appointed model to elected membership on the school board, 10% of registered voters in the county would have to sign a petition calling for a voter referendum.
Then, voters would have to approve the measure.
“We are aware citizens are collecting signatures for an elected school board. We hold our residents’ desires in high regard, and we respect that process and its eventual outcome,” said Angela Kelly-Wiecek, Chair of the Hanover County Board of Supervisors.
The Virginia Conference NAACP said they plan to pursue such petitions in the next election cycle in Hanover and the 15 other localities where school board members are appointed.
