HOWARD — An East Knox Board of Education member resigned at May’s meeting.
Matt Schwartz, a pastor at the Church of God located in Bladensburg, resigned May 11, citing recent interpersonal conflicts with his pastorship and being a board of education member. In February, it was reported Schwartz led a prayer and preached during a December board of education public meeting.
Someone recorded the meeting and sent it to the Freedom from Religion Foundation, which sent a letter to the East Knox Board of Education, citing it violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment.
Afterward, Schwartz “checked into it” with his own attorney and was given the same advice that the school attorney gave, which is he couldn’t pray at board meetings, Schwartz said.
“I had said clear back when I first got on the board originally, I was appointed on the board that if it ever came between the church and the school, I’d have to go with the church,” he said.
Schwartz, who served for seven years on the board, then made the decision to leave, before he would have to make a decision between the church and the school board.
When looking back at his tenure, Schwartz is proud of the construction of the new high school and elementary building classroom additions, he said.
East Knox supt. Steve Larcomb said Schwartz did a lot for students and staff in the district during his time as a board member.
Schwartz said he’ll miss his fellow board members, and noted they were able to work together despite disagreements.
“I had a good board to work with and I do believe everybody over there is concerned about those kids,” Schwartz said. “We could get into some discussions and disagree with one another and still at the end of the day be able to work together.
“I mean that was probably the neatest group of people I’ve seen that we were able to just sit there and tell each other, ‘I don’t agree with you’ and go on and still be able to work together on other things.”
Anyone interested in filling the vacant seat should email a letter of interest to School District Treasurer, Jessica Busenburg at jbusenburg@ekschools.org by Friday, May 26, 2023, at 4 p.m. A special board meeting will be held on June 1, 2023, at 6 p.m. to appoint a new member.
The board seat will then appear on the fall’s ballot to vote for a two-year term.
