Jennifer Moore’s departure from the Orange County Schools Board of Education was made official on Monday night, as her peers unanimously voted to accept her resignation.
The school board gathered Monday night for its scheduled meeting, and added the topic of “board vacancy” to its agenda at the start of the open session. Board Chair Anne Purcell said Moore had tendered her resignation over “health reasons, effective April the 17th.” When the group reached the item, there was a long pause when Purcell asked someone to motion to accept Moore’s resignation before board member Carrie Doyle agreed to make the motion.
“I have really enjoyed working with my colleague Dr. Moore these past four years,” Doyle, who was first elected to the board with Moore in 2020, said at the time. “She’s a lady of great character and great intentions to students and staff, and out of respect for her wishes, I move that we accept her resignation.”
“I will reiterate what my colleague has said,” echoed Purcell, “that I enjoyed working with Mrs. Moore over these last two years, and I wish her the best.”
Jennifer Moore. (Photo via Moore for Orange County School Board.)
Moore’s resignation became public on Friday, April 19 as part of a News & Observer piece investigating the background of her doctoral degree from Bellevue University, a private university in Nebraska that offers in-person online degree programs. Moore claimed in interviews — as well as an email shared with the district by former Orange County Schools Superintendent Monique Felder — that she earned a Doctorate in Business Administration in 2021. But according to emails reviewed by Chapelboro that were sent to the district, as well as the News & Observer’s reporting, the university does not have Moore on file as a student.
When contacted by Chapelboro, Moore referred to a video shared on her campaign’s Facebook page earlier on Tuesday. In it, she thanks the Orange County community for their support over her four years in office. The video, and her campaign page, has since been made private.
“Serving on the Orange County Board of Education was an honor to me,” Moore says in the recording. “During this time, my colleagues were aware that I have battled several serious health issues that have increased in severity over time. My medical issues have taken a severe toll on my physical health and I am currently undergoing treatment. I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has supported me in the last four years, especially those who have supported me most recently. Thank you for all of your kind words, actions, donations and support. It has been a pleasure to serve the students of Orange County Schools.”
Moore does not make any comment about her doctorate in the video and did not respond to Chapelboro’s questions about the degree.
The sitting school board members did not address on Monday any plan to fill Moore’s seat — although, she and fellow incumbent Bonnie Hauser are currently in a runoff election for the final opening on the board. Moore earned the third-most votes during the primary election in March behind Doyle and newcomer Wendy Padilla, initially assuming victory on election night. But Hauser requested a run-off through a North Carolina law stating candidates in races with more than one seat available must receive at least half of the total votes cast to avoid a runoff with the next-best finisher. In Orange County’s primary, that threshold was 6,563 votes and Moore fell short by 66 votes.
Moore will remain on the ballot for the May 14 run-off election against Hauser, which is set to begin early voting on Tuesday. Her resignation of her current term would not automatically carry over if Moore was to win the runoff — creating uncertainty of what she would do if re-elected. Moore did not respond to Chapelboro’s questions about whether she plans to still actively campaign in the race.
Orange County Schools policy says board vacancies are required to be announced — as it was on Monday — and then filled by an appointment process by the sitting board members. While the policy says people can send in materials for their candidacy or board members can nominate people in open session, no timeframe to make an appointment is stated. Any appointment would then expire upon the election and swearing-in of a full-term candidate. The Orange County Schools Board of Education members elected from the spring 2024 races will be sworn in to begin their four-year terms during the board’s meeting on Monday, July 15.
The full Board of Education meeting from Monday night can be watched here on the Orange County Schools’ YouTube page.
Featured photo via Orange County Schools.
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