Volusia County School Board member Jessie Thompson has resigned as the board’s chair.
Thompson previously apologized for controversial remarks she made at an August Moms for Liberty conference in Washington – including comparing Deltona High School diplomas to “participation trophies,” saying she wouldn’t trust some Deltona students with pumping her gas and making reference to board member Ruben Colón as a “tan gentleman.”
A YouTube video of her talk surfaced in early December. That was followed by a cascade of criticism. Thompson said in a Jan. 2 email to Superintendent Carmen Balgobin, that there are some people “who seek to make me their focus and detract from the real work that needs to be done.”
Thompson, a 36-year-old mother, former PTA president, author and comedian, was first elected in 2022 representing District 3, covering New Smyrna Beach and Southeast Volusia. Fellow board members voted her in as chair on Nov. 19 last year. She then chaired her first meeting on Dec. 10, when she apologized for the comments.
That day, the board voted unanimously to reconsider her election by holding another organizational meeting on Jan. 14.
“This is not an easy decision, but one that has to be made for the best interest of the students, and they’re why I’m here in the first place,” Thompson’s email read.
She didn’t immediately respond to a text message seeking comment Tuesday night.
Colón, the board member who represents the Deltona area, called the comments “very unnecessary,” and promised to continue to be an issue, as he expected a “lot of folks” to speak during public comment.
“I am glad that aside from the apology she decided to resign on her own,” he said, adding that he had previously had a “great relationship” with Thompson.
“There’s so many good things going on that as much as folks expect me to continue to kick this down the road,” Colón said, “really we just need to move on and heal and work together for kids.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia School Board member Jessie Thompson resigns as chair