MARYSVILLE — Marysville School District officials were putting together a plan on Tuesday to find a successor for board member Michael Kundu, who resigned Monday.
The board may discuss the best way to advertise the position at its Aug. 2 meeting. After gathering applications, the remaining four board members may interview and appoint someone to the seat this fall.
Kundu became embroiled in a controversy when he argued in two e-mails sent in early June among school officials that racial genetics play a “definitive factor” in intellectual achievement. He resigned three weeks after his fellow board members unanimously requested he step down for the remarks.
Kundu was serving a four-year term set to end in 2013. The interim board member’s term will run through 2011, at which point he or she can seek re-election. Whoever is elected in that race will serve a shortened, two-year term.
While the dispute over Kundu’s remarks consumed hours of time this summer for the district, Superintendent Larry Nyland said the phones were mostly quiet on Tuesday.
Nyland was relieved Kundu decided to exit, giving the district a chance to refocus on education. Nyland mentioned that Kundu originally said he was going to choose a course of action later in the summer.
“This was earlier,” Nyland said. “That was for the better.”
Kundu did not specify a reason for his departure in his resignation letter. Instead he stressed the accomplishments from his seven-year tenure. He did not respond Tuesday to a request for further comment.
Board president Sherri Crenshaw said Kundu may have realized the furor over his remarks wasn’t fading.
“People would have continued to come to the meetings,” Crenshaw said. “That would have been the issue and the focus. At least this way, we can move forward.”
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455; arathbun@heraldnet.com.
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