PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — The first school board meeting of the new school year in Prince William County and, already, there is more infighting among those elected to lead.
The county School Board on Wednesday night spent the better part of an hour debating whether or not it should allow School Board Attorney Mary McGowan to keep her seat alongside School Board members on the dais during public meetings.
A series of emails sent by School Board Chairman Ryan Sawyers on Wednesday morning demanded McGowan be removed from the head table, and he asserted that he alone as school board chairman had the authority to remove her.
McGowan has had the job of defending the School Board in two lawsuits involving Sawyers. Earlier this year, Sawyers sued School Division Superintendent Steven Walts after he didn’t give Sawyers access to emails by his predecessor Milton C. Johns.
According to one Sawyers email sent Wednesday, he asked the Virginia State Bar to investigate McGowan after he alleges she inappropriately provided legal advice to the Board during a closed session concerning the case of Sawyers vs. Walts.
McGowan also played a role in defending the school board in a more than three-year-old legal battle between Sawyers and Patriot High School Principal Micheal Bishop stemming over a youth baseball league.
Sawyers was absent from the regularly scheduled school board meeting on Wednesday, citing a family emergency. Despite calls from Occoquan District School Board Member, and Vice Chairman of the School Board Lillie Jessie not to hold a vote due to Sawyers’ absence, the board voted to let McGowan keep her seat.
“It’s detrimental to the school board not to have division counsel up here, with access to Board Docs [the online agenda and school board records system]. If someone gets removed from the dais, it should be the action of the School Board, not one member,” said Gainesville District School Board Member Alyson Satterwhite.
McGowan called the matter a distraction.
“I don’t think there is any question that I can be more effective on the dais,” she told the school board members. “I am disturbed this issue sidetracked the board from its current business.”
Woodbridge District School Board Member Lorree Williams abstained from the vote.
“We do not do things together, and this will continue the divisiveness [among school board members],” said Williams.
“I don’t like the idea of [Sawyers] not being present to make a decision,” said Jessie, who voted to keep McGowan on the dais. “I make my own decisions. Sometimes I agree with the chairman, and sometimes I don’t.”
The infighting comes as the School Board is set to add a student representative to the mix sometime in mid-October. The student will also have a seat alongside other school board members on the dais.
Sawyers is seeking higher office and is a Democrat running against longtime Republican Congressman Rob Wittman (1st District).
Recent Stories
Prince William County’s Board of Supervisors easily approved the fiscal year 2025 budget with a few changes on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, to take effect on July 1.
School officials in Prince William County say Antisemitic symbols were found painted on the side of Coles Elementary and Benton Middle schools near Woodbridge.
Manassas City Council held a public hearing on the city’s budget, as residents once again are facing the prospect of paying more in taxes.
On April 22, 2024, at approximately 2:16 a.m., the Manassas City Police Department responded to a 911 call for shots fired in the 9100 block of Winterset Drive.
To celebrate Air Quality Awareness Week (May 6-10, 2024), Clean Air Partners is working with A Few Cool Hardware Stores to exchange DC, Maryland and Virginia residents’ gas-powered lawnmowers, trimmers, and leaf blowers at select Ace Hardware locations in the region. DMV residents who turn in their gas-powered lawn tools will receive a FREE Ego Power+ replacement including batteries and chargers, while supplies last.
Compared to gas, electric lawn equipment can reduce emissions, noise pollution, health risks and maintenance costs and time. The program aims to remove about a hundred gas-powered polluting tools from yards in the greater Baltimore-Washington region.
The exchanges will take place the weekends of May 17-19, 2024, and May 31-June 2, 2024, at A Few Cool Hardware Stores network of employee-owned Ace Hardware stores in the DC and Baltimore metro areas. To participate and get your free Ego Power+ lawn tool, sign up at https://qrco.de/CAPExchange to reserve your tool and select your trade-in date and location.
Are you feeling overwhelmed by life’s challenges? Do stress and anxiety seem to dominate your thoughts? At Peaceful Mind Solutions, we understand that navigating mental health can be daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Our team of compassionate therapists is here to guide you on your journey toward inner peace and emotional well-being. With a client-centered approach, we tailor our therapy sessions to meet your unique needs and goals. Whether you’re struggling with depression, coping with trauma, or simply seeking personal growth, we provide a safe and supportive space for healing and growth.
Embark on a path of self-discovery with our comprehensive range of therapy services, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness practices, and holistic approaches. Our experienced therapists are dedicated to helping you cultivate resilience, develop coping skills, and foster a greater sense of self-awareness.
Free Irish Music Concert
Welcoming Spring with music from the Emerald Isle, the New Dominion Choraliers offer a FREE concert on Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Presbyterian Church of Dale City.
Joined by Legacy Brass and members of Old
Spring Ceili: An Irish Music Festival
The New Dominion Choraliers of Prince William County and McGrath Morgan Academy of Irish Dance invite you to join them at our Ceili, a grand celebration of Irish music and dance.
A gathering of performance groups throughout Prince William County
