Barksdale, Abdul-Haqq, Logan Leach Sworn In; Cathcart is BOE President

Two school board candidates who emerged victorious from a last-minute smear campaign were sworn in Tuesday (May 2, 2006) for three-year terms, along with an incumbent who was the only survivor of her slate.



Longtime school activist Rasheed Abdul-Haqq and incumbent Patricia Barksdale were the top vote-getters in a school board contest that turned slimy with an anonymous flier that played up Abdul-Haqq’s youthful transgressions and pinned all the nine-member board’s problems on Barksdale alone.


Incumbent Lisa Logan-Leach campaigned with newcomers Reno B. Wilkins and Claudette Lovely-Brown and emerged third in the field of seven candidates, despite the slate’s having headquarters, glossy mailings and numerous free food events.


Business Administrator Victor Demming administered the oaths.

Logan-Leach abstained on both votes as Agurs Linward “Lenny” Cathcart Jr. was chosen board president and Barksdale was elected vice-president for one-year terms.

Cathcart, taking the presidency for the second time in his five years on the board, said he was supposed to come up with a vision, but he said, “I don’t have a vision.”

Instead, he said, his three main issues will be safety, communications and “celebrating our positive students.”

Cathcart said he will be working with District and Homeland Security Director Donald Moye on safety issues. He said the positive achievements of students are not sufficiently recognized.

He said he supports Superintendent Paula Howard "100 percent."

In her remarks, Howard said 18 students, including one runaway, were picked up in a new truancy program. A new alternative school, Alpha Academy, now has four students, she said.

The board will carry on its work May 9 with an 8 p.m. Work and Study session at Plainfield High School, 950 Park Ave., and a May 16 business meeting, 8 p.m. at Washington School, 427 Darrow Ave.

(Note: Amateur photos by Bernice)

--Bernice Paglia