Prince William Chairman At-large Ryan Sawyers delivers a presentation on the school board's budget for 2017-18.Prince William School Board Chairman At-large Ryan Sawyers has announced he will be resigning from the School Board.
"Today, I am resigning from the Prince William County School Board. I am proud of our accomplishments in just over two years worth of work," Sawyers wrote on Facebook.
"I am honored and humbled to have been able to serve my community and to have met so many great teachers, neighbors, counselors, bus drivers, and community activists."
Sawyers ended his race for Congressman of the 1st Virginia District on February 27, 2018. He was a candidate in the primary to run on the Democratic ticket.
His resignation was made official in a letter to Lilly Jessie, Vice Chair of the School Board and Occoquan member.
I am most proud that we were able to protect the LGBTQ community in our schools, provide consecutive step increases for employees, to unanimously strip the name of a racist governor from a middle school, honor an African-American war hero, give a fallen firefighter his proper honor, add nurses to the professional pay scale, direct a still unfunded plan to removed classroom trailers from Prince William County, focus on closing the achievement gap for low-income minority, and special needs students, remove 30 minutes from the teacher contract day, protect employee retirement accounts after the change in contract day, and so much more.
Despite Sawyers' accomplishments was a controversial leader and there was a petition to repeal his office.
Recently Sawyers asked that the Superintendent be investigated over a car accident last summer. He also sued the Superintendent for not allowing free access to his predecessor's emails.
Sawyers, a businessman living in Gainesville, Virginia, was elected in 2015 by narrow margins in a three-way race between himself, Republican-supported Tim Singstock and independent Tracy Conroy.
His board prominently Democrats 5:3, allowing him to pass policy on his progressive agenda.
Prince William County is the second largest school district in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
UPDATE: Here is PWCS's School Board vacancy policy.
2nd UPDATE, March 7 at 2:40 p.m.
The Prince William County Democratic Committee responded to the announcement, March 7 at approximately 2:15 p.m.
"Like most other people, we were surprised by Mr. Sawyers' resignation this morning," said committee spokesperson Don Shaw. "We wish him well and hope he resolves the personal and professional concerns that caused him to come to this decision. It is our hope that his replacement is someone who shares our community values and will work with the other members of the School Board to place our children and their education first.
https://www.facebook.com/RyanSawyersVA/photos/a.1676690982604039.1073741828.1676393492633788/2045736005699533/?type=3&theater
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