Western Wayne Today

Members of the community were reassured that a newly elected member would not have to give up his school-based volunteer positions during a recent Crestwood School District Board meeting.

David Williamson, who was elected in November, decided to run for partial term vacancy after the district decided to move his paid roles within the marching band and football staff to volunteer endeavors, according to The Arab American News. He desired the position to represent fine arts, as there were already members on the board who could advocate for football and athletics.

In order to serve on the school board, Mr. Williamson did give up his positions as Band Booster Club president and as an assistant coach for the marching band.

Najah Jannoun, the president of the PTA club and longtime member of the school district, approached the board during public comment, upset about the prospect. Jannoun added that there were currently three school board members who also serve as assistant football coaches and backed Williamson being on the board while continuing to serve in all his previous roles.

Trustee Mo Sabbagh acknowledged that there are three people on the board who are assistant football coaches.

He assured stakeholders that having the three board members coach on a volunteer basis saved the district a lot of money, and the paid head coach holds authority over them undoubtedly.

Sabbagh, along with board Vice President Hass Beydoun agreed that David Williamson would be a great asset to his former position and would do their best to see if he could be grandfathered in, similar to how they were with football.

Beydoun also told Williamson that his position with the football team was secure.

“I am a volunteer football coach and, I was a paid football coach prior to last year of being appointed on the board and then through the campaign, obviously, I'm still on the board and the election. So, I wasn't grandfathered in,” he said. “My coach's pay didn't come to me. Obviously, it's all volunteer now. I can attest that we do not have a position of power. [Head coach Jamaal] last year asked me to step away from the sideline for a little while and I did.”

Beydoun added that he has asked the district’s attorneys to see if they can grandfather Mr. Williamson, along with Dr. Mosallam into their current roles.