Mark Stoker, a member of the VPS board of directors since 2007, has resigned his position, effective immediately, in response to concerns about comments he made on his personal social media account.
As reported yesterday in an article in The Columbian newspaper, Stoker apologized publicly for those comments. In a letter of resignation to VPS Superintendent Steve Webb, he wrote, “I have determined that to continue to serve on this board would prove too big a distraction from the critical work needed to overcome the challenges created by these unprecedented times. The focus must be solely on the work.”
Stoker, whose term of office expires in December 2021, encouraged his board colleagues to consider the district’s rich culture and diversity when selecting a successor. “The board should appoint a director that reflects the demographics of the district in order to bring new ideas and representation not currently on the board,” he wrote.
“That new director will have an opportunity to make an impact on the vision and policies of the district before his or her term expires,” he added. “That would be a fitting end to this story.”