Man dragged out by security during interim superintendent’s first MSCS board meeting
By: Rosalyn Freeman
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A tense Memphis-Shelby County Schools board meeting ended in controversy Tuesday night after security forcibly removed a man from the public comment session.
The meeting, which was centered around the renewal of City University School of Independences charter, was also the first school board session since Dr. Roderick Richmond assumed his role as interim superintendent.
The meeting started calmly but escalated when members of the public began voicing their concerns about the board’s decision-making process.
City University School of Independence, which serves only 14 students, had been recommended for non-renewal by the district’s Charter School Office due to academic and operational shortcomings. However, controversy surrounded the decision to approve its renewal, as the school’s president, T.C. Richmond, is the wife of Interim Superintendent Dr. Roderick Richmond.
Each speaker was given a three-minute time limit, but when one individual exceeded his allotted time, Board Chair Joyce Dorse-Coleman ordered his removal.
Video footage captured the moment security officers forcibly removed Damon Curry Morris, a community member who had been addressing the board. Morris, who identifies as a person with multiple disabilities, expressed frustration over the handling of the situation.
“I am a person with multiple disabilities,” Morris said.
Asked about how he felt about being dragged out, he said, “That shows a lack of compassion. When dealing with people with disabilities, you have to show compassion.”
Following the incident, first responders arrived to assess Morris’s condition. His removal sparked further debate over how public discourse is handled at school board meetings, particularly when sensitive issues such as leadership appointments and financial transparency are involved.
Despite concerns over the school’s small student population, the board voted to approve the renewal of City University School of Independence’s charter for another 10 years.
Board Chair Joyce Dorse-Coleman addressed concerns about potential nepotism: “There is no nepotism involved. They proved their case, and the students deserve a chance. So that’s why we voted to give them a chance.”
The school board has not yet released an official statement regarding the removal of Morris or the concerns surrounding the charter renewal process. FOX13 will continue to seek responses from district officials and community leaders as this story develops.
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