Although Superintendent Malcolm Thomas has not filed to run for re-election, he’s heavy into damage control. He is holding a private, invitation-only luncheon meeting today at the Captain’s Room at the Atlas Oyster House from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Debbie King, the school district’s volunteer coordinator, sent an email out to some of her Leadership Pensacola contacts.
Here’s the text of the email:
Hi, it’s Debbie King, from LeaP.
Superintendent Thomas wants to invite you to a small-group luncheon he is
having to discuss the District’s surplus real estate. The details are as
follows:November 18, Friday
Fish House/Captain’s Room
12:00 – 1:30Please RSVP either by email to me or call ###-####
.
Thomas has been under pressure because his botched handling of the sale of Brownsville Middle School – refusing to bring to the school board an offer of $500,000 from Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. Mayor Ashton Hayward requested that the School District be more proactive in dealing with its abandoned property, much of which is the inner-city of Pensacola. Thomas has yet to publicly respond to the mayor’s request or put on the school board agenda.
The African-American leaders that have been most vocal about the issue – Rev. LuTimothy May and Rev. Lonnie Wesley – were not invited. In fact, I’m not sure any black leaders have been invited. The Mayor has also been excluded.
