Flint, MI—After a year with the Flint Community Schools Board of Education, Secretary Adrian Walker is resigning for a new opportunity with the State of Michigan.
Walker announced his resignation at a board meeting Feb. 16.
“Due to a professional change on my end, unfortunately, tonight will be my last board meeting,” Walker said.
While he can’t yet reveal the details of his new position, Walker said he feels it will allow him to better represent Flint.
“I believe that this opportunity with the State of Michigan allows me to have a greater impact for the city of Flint as well as other communities across the state,” Walker said. “I’ve been able to have a set of experiences at the micro level to really home in on what communities like the City of Flint experience. And now this opportunity allows me to build up on that, but to do it at a more macro level across the state.”
The board selected Walker to fill a vacancy in January 2021 after Anita Moore, who was voted into the seat during the November 2020 election, didn’t file her certification paperwork on time.
“Although my time on the board is a little bit over a year, I’ve experienced more in this year than some board members will experience in a career of service,” Walker said. “And one of those major things that we all had to deal with was the pandemic. I always pointed out in board meetings there was no blueprint for how to serve on a school board in the midst of a global pandemic.”
He said he’s most proud of the work he and other board members were able to accomplish with “once in a generation” federal COVID relief funds in terms of engaging the community on how the dollars should be spent.
“In my role as the chair of the Community Relations Committee, I found it important that we go to each school and hear directly from the neighborhood residents, the faculty and staff, the scholars. But also, the parents who have a vested interest in how we invest those funds,” Walker said.
He read his letter of resignation to board members, which was followed by a standing ovation.
“My prayer was that whatever was best for you, happens. But because it was best for you not to be on the school board anymore breaks my heart. I wish you the best,” President Danielle Green said.
Walker is a product of Flint schools. He attended Pierce Elementary and the former Whittier Junior High School. His grandmother, mother, and stepfather all worked for the district in various roles.
He spent five years working in Washington D.C. for Senator Debbie Stabenow in education policy before moving back to Flint in 2015. For the past three years, he has served as the director of government affairs & community relations for the Flint & Genesee Group.
Walker said he believes the board and the district have come a long way since he started.
“I believe now we’re in a better space. There’s still work to do, but we’re in a better space. And I believe that Mr. Jones has the support of our board moving forward as he looks to move us in a direction that helps us to revitalize our school district,” Walker said.
His resignation takes effect immediately. The board will have 30 days to fill the seat and appoint a new member via roll-call vote.