After swearing in of new members, Chao Wu becomes first Asian American to serve as Howard school board chair

Chao Wu was selected as the Howard County Board of Education’s chairperson Monday afternoon following the swearing in of the board’s three newly elected members.

Wu, who was elected in 2018, will serve as the board’s leader for the next year. Wu was the only board member to be nominated and won without a vote.

“We have a very diverse and capable board,” said Wu after being named as the board’s chairperson. “Listening empathetically and working respectfully across diversity and social differences to reach a solution is not easy in many ways. I truly appreciate the opportunity to serve as the board chair. It is both an honor and a huge responsibility.”

Wu also becomes the first Asian American to serve as the board’s chairperson, replacing Mavis Ellis, who was the board’s first Black chair. Ellis did not run for reelection to the board this year.

Brian Meshkin, who served on the board from 2010 to 2014, was the first Asian American on the board. Sabina Taj, who was voted onto the board in 2018 but did not run for reelection this year, was the first Asian American woman on the board.

Member Jen Mallo was voted as the board’s vice chairperson. Mallo, who was reelected in November, won the anonymous vote over member Vicky Cutroneo, who held the seat previously.

“I want to extend my congratulations to Dr. Wu,” Mallo said. “... A tip of the hat to you. You’ve done a remarkable job, and we look forward to a year of working with you.”

The leadership election was less contentious than the one in December 2019, which included four tied votes over the course of two meetings.

Last year, Cutroneo and Ellis were both nominated and tied, 4-4, four different times. Cutroneo eventually withdrew, and Ellis, who was first chosen as the board’s chairperson in 2018, continued in her role.

During his first board report as chair, Wu requested civility from the board and the community as the school system continues to operate through the challenging coronavirus pandemic.

“Let’s reset and start anew,” Wu said. “We are all here to serve the public. Let’s work together to have a board that will have the priority to serve the students and families in Howard County.”

Wu’s term on the board ends in 2022. If he chooses to run for reelection, it will be for one of the board’s two at-large spots in the new district-based electoral system that was first implemented this year. Cutroneo is also serving until 2022 as she and Wu received the most votes in the 2018 election.

Prior to the start of the meeting, three board members — Antonia Barkley Watts, Jolene Mosley and Yun Lu — were sworn in. All three members resoundingly won their respective district races in the November election to earn their first terms on the board.

“I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the voters in District 2,” Watts said. “I’m honored and humbled that you’d place your trust in me.”

“Thank you for all of your support and encouragement,” Lu said. “Now that the election is over, I’m looking forward to working with board members as a team to serve all children in Howard County.”

“I’m committed to work together with the Board of Education and every stakeholder so that every child can reach their goals through a healthy school system,” Mosley said.

Mallo and Christina Delmont-Small, who both won reelection in November, were also sworn in for their second terms on the board.

“I’d like to thank the voters of District 1 and the supporters and volunteers throughout the county who have allowed me the honor and responsibility to continue to make decisions that are in the best decisions of students, families and the school system,” Delmont-Small said.

“I’m honored to have been sworn in again,” Mallo said. “It’s going to be a challenging year as we face this pandemic together as a board. … We’ve got a lot of work to do. Let’s get to work.”