Two weeks ago, previous Prosper ISD Board of Trustees president Drew Wilborn resigned from his position after allegations of indecency with a minor led to his arrest. Wilson was elected to the board in 2021 and was a pastor at a Dallas church prior to his criminal charges. He was later released on a bail bond.

The special district board meeting on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. was scheduled to address the vacancy left by Wilborn in Place 7. Parents and staff in the district expressed differing arguments during public comment, either in favor of a special election to fill the post or an appointment by the board.

“While I understand the desire to hold an election for the open seat, I’d like to point out that voters have chosen all six current seats, and that elections don’t always get it right,” Prosper High School art teacher Janette Church said. “If they did, we might not have been here tonight.”

Advocates for an appointment reasoned that the time and money a campaign would require outweighed the positive intents of holding a special election, and asked the board to consider the unusual circumstances of the vacancy.

“It would be a financial hardship for individuals to run a campaign for what might be a one-year term, and altering the timeline of our elections could be dangerous,” Church said. “[The spot] should not be voted in this close of a time frame when it’s not planned in advance.”

Rock Hill High School junior Drake Matheison spoke requesting an appointment for Place 7. He mentioned feeling welcome and supported after moving to Prosper in 2019, consequently wanting what he sees as better for the district.

“Everyone is at high emotions, and during times of emotional instability there can be a lot of misinformation,” Matheison said. “You’re much more susceptible to outside influences, especially those out of the district, out of the state. [Holding a special election] gives less time to the people to learn about what the candidate believes, what their thought processes are.”

On the other end, residents advocating for an election believed that it could show the board’s dedication to the people of Prosper.

“If we have you appoint, it is showing us that you simply want to continue to cover up,” one resident said. “I pray that you give the people the power to choose.”

Some attendees wore a tricolored ribbon pinned to their shirt. According to James Pope, a father in the district, the yellow of the ribbon stood for hope, the blue symbolized support for children that have been victims of sexual assault and the green for the district.

“I believe the best is for a special election, because the community needs to decide who’s going to be sitting in that chair,” Pope said. “Hopefully we elect the right person, but those are the chances we take. If they go through with a special election, I may not agree with the person who gets elected. But I’m not going to fight for appointment if something happens because the people spoke.”

After a four-hour closed executive session, the board decided 6-1 to appoint a person to fill the vacancy after board elections in May. Trustee Garret Linker was the only member to motion for a special election on May 6 instead.

“We are here to build a way forward together, each of us in our own way wants the best for the children in our community,” president Debra Smith said. “We will continue to listen with open hearts to our staff, our parents and our community. Under Dr. Ferguson’s leadership, we are confident that the Prosper ISD community can continue to unite as one focused on supporting our faculty and our children.”

The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m. A regular board meeting will take place on Feb. 27.