Providence School Board elects president, 'I look forward to the work that is ahead'

The Providence School Board on Wednesday elected Erlin Rogel, senior adviser to Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, as its president.

Rogel, who graduated from the city school system, previously worked as the district's director of intergovernmental affairs, served as its interim chief of staff and taught multilingual learners.

His term on the board expires in 2026.

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"I look forward to the dialogue and the work that's ahead," Rogel said, reflecting on his time in the district and, adding that he's "very humbled."

Travis Escobar was elected vice president and Mark Santow was elected secretary, a role in which he will serve another term.

Rogel will succeed Kinzel Thomas, who led the board until his term expired last month. He decided not to apply for another term, but said the move was unrelated to upheaval within the board over toxic-workplace allegations and secret decisions to close three Providence schools – a matter in which the board was given no say.

Ty'Relle Stephens, a board member who has raised concerns about those allegations and previously about allegations of grade inflation within the district, vowed to "hold the new leadership team accountable."

Already the board's new members faced a tough meeting on Wednesday, with searing public testimony from attendees angered about the state takeover of the district, draining work conditions, and the planned closing of Alan Shawn Feinstein Elementary School on Broad Street. That is one of three schools closing, including Carl G. Lauro Elementary School and Gilbert Stuart Middle School.

At the same time, the audience included roughly a dozen Teamsters standing in silent protest, wearing signs demanding a fair contract for bus drivers. Once the public comment period ended, some erupted in shouts, attempting to interject.

Matthew Taibi was allowed to speak on behalf of the union, raising concerns over First Student, the vendor the district uses for bus drivers. The union has asked that the vendor "settle its contract with the workers by granting them a defined-benefit pension."

Taibi warned a strike could happen in early March, which would become yet another obstacle for students who already faced the toll of a bus-driver shortage in the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority last year.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence School Board elects Erlin Rogel as president