Bowie Resident Selected as New School Board Chair

On Saturday, Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker appointed Dr. Segum Eubanks as the new chair of the Prince George's County Board of Education. 

Segun Eubanks, who lives in Bowie with his wife Shyrelle and their two children, currently serves as the director of teacher quality for the National Education Association.

“Dr. Eubanks brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the board that will serve the children and families of this County well,” Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker said in a statement.

“We have worked together for two decades on education issues and his expertise in teacher quality and public education will be a tremendous asset to this board,” Baker said.

Eubanks takes over the helm of the school board as the county school system is in the midst of a structural overhaul which gives the county executive more direct control over its administration.

Eubanks’ two children are PGCPS students, a fact Baker says gives the new board chair a “vested interest in making our schools successful.”

“Any confusion of what’s going to happen, who’s going to be in charge, should be lifted," said Baker after Eubanks was sworn in on Saturday, according to a report in The Washington Post. "The sooner we can start with the transition, the better for everybody.”

For three days now, the school system has been subject to House Bill 1107, which adds four appointed school board members. The county executive will appoint three members with experience in education, business or management.T The Prince George's County Council is allowed to appoint one member to the school board, so long as that person has a child in the county school system.

The county executive also now has the power to appoint the chair and vice chair of the board. 

Prior to his work at NEA, Eubanks has held several positions with education organizations. He has served as executive director of Community Teachers Institute (CTI) and vice president of Recruiting New Teachers, Inc., and has worked with disadvantaged students in Louisiana.

Originally from Boston, Eubanks has a bachelor’s degree in educational advocacy from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a master's degree in human services administration from Springfield College. He also holds a doctorate in teaching and learning policy from the University of Maryland.

In his statement, Baker also thanked former board chair Verjeana Jacobs, also of Bowie, for her hard work and dedicated service.

“She led this board through some very difficult and challenging times,” Baker said of Jacobs.  “I commend her for her hard work and dedication.”

Baker has not yet selected the vice chair, but that position must be chosen from the pool of elected school board members, per the new school board governance law.