Prosper ISD school board elects new president after arrest, resignation of Andrew Wilborn
PROSPER, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Tuesday night, the Prosper ISD school board met for the first time since school board president Andrew Wilborn resigned.
This happened last month after he was arrested and charged with indecency with a child.
The incident did not involve any Prosper ISD students – but as you can imagine, it raises questions about leadership within the district.
When Prosper ISD parent James Pope learned board president Andrew Wilborn was arrested and charged with indecency with a child, "It was heart wrenching. It took all the air out of me. I mean I spoke to the individual, the president, the night before and then to wake up the next day and then later on hear that he had been arrested. It was shocking. In every way."
Police say Wilborn inappropriately touched a 16-year-old last April while he was an executive pastor at Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church. Prosper ISD said they were unaware of the allegations until after his arrest.
"Our community is struggling on so many different fronts, and I see it in so many ways," one parent said.
At Tuesday's school board meeting, parents also expressed their heartache over a Prosper ISD bus driver accused of sexually assaulting two sisters last year and the recent arrest of two high schoolers for the murder of a 19-year-old from Little Elm.
"Every incident that occurs here at Prosper just brings everything back to light," Pope said.
Pope and other parents told the school board they want better leadership.
Several of them urging the school board to have a special election for Wilborn's seat.
"Based on previous history we do not trust you to appoint another person as the one that you appointed was just arrested," another parent said.
"If you make an appointment, you're making a mistake and you guys have to be about the right thing always, we all do," one parent said.
Tuesday night, the school board unanimously elected Debra Smith as board president and Kelly Cavender as board vice-president.
In May, the school board election will take place with Place 2 and Place 5 on the ballot.
The board voted 5-1 to appoint Place 7, which was held by Wilborn, after the May election to allow the incoming board to choose the appointee.