HAZELWOOD — A Ferguson-Florissant School District administrator is under investigation in Maryland for continuing to serve on a school board in that state after taking a job in Missouri.
David Murray started as the district’s chief academic officer on Jan. 4 with a $163,583 salary but did not resign from the Prince George’s County Board of Education in Upper Marlboro, Maryland until last week.
Within a week of the announcement of his hiring by Ferguson-Florissant, Murray filed to run for reelection in Maryland. Records from the state’s Board of Elections show Murray filed for reelection on Dec. 26. Ferguson-Florissant announced his hire on Dec. 20.
Ferguson-Florissant spokeswoman Onye Holloman said the district was aware Murray was a school board member in Maryland, and he would be “transitioning†away from the role “in the weeks and months†following his joining of the district.
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Murray’s position requires him to live in the bi-state area, but the district has had “no concerns†about his attendance, Holloman said.
“Since joining the district, he has consistently fulfilled his duties in his position, being present 100% of the time and meeting all of our attendance requirements,†Holloman said.
In a statement, the Maryland board’s chair, Lolita Walker, said the board requested an investigation with the county’s Office of Integrity and Compliance and “other appropriate agencies.†The board’s policies require members to reside in the districts they represent.
Adult, non-student members of the Prince George’s County Board of Education receive an annual compensation of $18,000. It’s unclear how much of that salary, if any, he collected after taking the Missouri job. Walker did not immediately respond to an email on Friday when asked about Murray’s pay.
Murray did not respond to requests for comment Thursday and Friday.
Earlier this week, Murray told Washington, D.C.-based radio station WTOP News, which , that his “secondary residence†was outside the state of Maryland.
“While I am a homeowner, taxpayer, and have domicile in [his school board district], my secondary residence is now out of state,†Murray wrote in a text to the station. “I attempted to juggle all of these responsibilities initially, trying to fulfill all of my commitments through the end of the school year. I made the decision that it would be in the best interest for me to retire from the Board of Education.â€
Murray’s attendance at the school board’s meetings throughout the year was rare. Videos of recorded meetings viewed by the Post-Dispatch showed Murray was frequently absent. If he wasn’t, he attended virtually.
Most recently, Murray voted for the Maryland board’s new chair and vice chair on July 11. He resigned five days later, according to a July 22 statement from the Prince George’s County School Board.
Murray is a former adjunct faculty member at American University and literacy coach for the Children’s Literacy Initiative, according to a . He holds a master’s degree in literacy with a concentration in dyslexia from the University of Central Arkansas.
He joined the Prince George’s County Board of Education in 2016 and served as the board’s budget committee chair.
View life in 51ºÚÁÏ through the Post-Dispatch photographers' lenses. Edited by Jenna Jones.
