Members of the NAACP Culpeper Branch addressed the Madison County Board of Supervisors at a meeting on November 12 and presented a statement calling for the censure of Madison County School Board member Charlie Sheads. The branch’s actions followed several racist and discriminatory statements made publicly by Sheads on a social media forum, the Madison Bulletin.
NAACP Culpeper Branch Executive Committee member Steven A. Jones, Sr., read the statement to the members of the Board of Supervisors. “It has come to our attention that a sitting member of the Madison County School Board, Charlie Sheads, has engaged in hateful and discriminatory rhetoric on social media — the type of rhetoric that we’ve repeatedly seen fuel hostility, vandalism, and violence against our brothers and sisters in the African American and Muslim communities,” the statement began.
The statement added: “Mr. Sheads’ actions are incompatible with [the school system’s] guiding principles and call into question his ability to represent the best interests of all students and families in Madison County. Accordingly, we are calling on the Board of Supervisors to immediately censure Charlie Sheads and for the School Board to strongly consider additional appropriate action warranted under the School Board’s Code of Conduct.”
In addition to Jones, several other members of the branch spoke at the meeting, including Dr. Patricia Frye, the Rev. Frank D. Lewis, Charles Landgraf, and Cindy Taylor. Others made calls to the school board office to express concerns about Sheads.
The school board issued a statement in response on November 13, noting “The posts and comments that broadly disparage a religious group and others are those of the individual member and are not the comments of or views of the School Board. The posts and comments are not aligned with school board policy and priorities, and its commitment to create a welcoming and respectful environment for all members of the school community.”
At its December 8 meeting, no school members other than Sheads addressed the controversy. NAACP Culpeper Executive Committee member Andrew Taylor subsequently stated, “Mr. Sheads ultimately bears full responsibility for his abhorrent behavior–however, we cannot ignore the fact that the School Board’s inadequate response has helped foster an environment in which he feels empowered to not only continue his unprofessional conduct on social media, but triple down on harmful rhetoric during an official school board meeting. The board’s silence as Mr. Sheads used his platform to make dangerous generalizations and selectively invoke Civil Rights leaders to suit his own agenda bordered on cowardice.”
The branch had previously expressed concerns about Sheads’ rhetoric throughout his term as well as statements by other board members. Sheads did not run for reelection and completed his term in December.
The complete statement may be viewed here: Statement from the NAACP Culpeper Branch on Charlie Sheads. Charlottesville Tomorrow covered the event and ongoing issues with the school board in this article by Andra Landi.
The Reverend Frank D. Lewis, former president of the NAACP Culpeper Branch and a Madison resident, addressed the Madison County Board of Supervisors on November 12 in response to racist statements by School Board member Charlie Sheads. Pastor Lewis was among several branch members who spoke at the meeting or contacted the school board office to express concerns. The branch also issued a formal statement, presented at the Board of Supervisors meeting.