Mosby appointed leader of LRSD teachers union

Kristy Mosby, who is starting her 25th year as a Little Rock School District teacher, has become president of the Little Rock Education Association after the resignation last week of Colton Gilbert.

Mosby announced Gilbert’s resignation last week in a letter to the association members.

“In the spirit of continuity as vice president [and] in accordance with LREA by-laws, I have assumed the position of president,” she wrote.

Roy Vaughn has been appointed vice president and Megan Prettyman is the orgnization’s new secretary, as approved by its board of directors. Vaughn and Prettyman are high school teachers.

All three leadership positions will be up for election in April, Mosby said.

“Although this was unexpected, we will continue to build our union and stand stronger than ever,” concluded Mosby, a Little Rock native and a fifth-grade teacher at Booker Arts Magnet Elementary School.

Gilbert, a teacher at Central High, was elected last spring to head the union of teachers and support staff. He took office Aug. 1, succeeding Teresa Knapp Gordon.

He did not respond to an email request for information about his resignation. The Arkansas Times blog reported last week that Gilbert’s resignation letter cited financial disarray in the education association’s office, including a shortage of organization funds for office space and infighting in the organization and with the Arkansas Education Association.

Gilbert also called for the National Education Association to intervene by auditing the state and local associations and facilitating a plan for the two groups to work together, according to the Arkansas Times’ blog.

The Little Rock Education

Association has remained active in district operations despite losing rights in 2019 to collective bargaining on behalf of most district employees. The Arkansas Board of Education voted that year to end the school district’s longtime recognition of the association as the contract-bargaining agent for the teachers and support staff.

A personnel policies committee for certified employees — its members elected from the schools — was formed to advise Little Rock district leaders, including the school board that was elected in November and December 2020, on teacher employment matters. A similar committee was created for support staff.