Gov. Jim Justice announced today that longtime state school board member Tom Campbell has resigned.
Campbell, the vice president of the state Board of Education, wrote in a letter that he is grateful for the 10 years that he served. He noted that he was twice president of the board and twice was vice president.
“There have been many challenges faced by the board and while times have not been easy, it has been rewarding to work with fellow board members, legislators and governors to find workable solutions,” Campbell wrote.
Campbell, a Greenbrier County resident, served as a Democratic member of the state Legislature from 1996 to 2012. He has also served on Lewisburg City Council.
Campbell was renamed to the state Board of Education last year to a term ending in 2030. Now someone else will be named to fill out the term.
“Covid-19 and the changes brought about by the pandemic are forcing a whole new way to approach public education,” he wrote in his resignation letter. “It is time for new board leadership to take on those issues with enthusiasm and a fresh perspective to help our children be the best they can be.”
Governor Justice, during a briefing today, said he’s sorry to hear of Campbell’s departure, calling him a “very, very dear friend of mine.”
“Tom’s been around a long time. He’s served on so many different boards and in so many different capacities of government,” Justice said. “I can’t thank him enough.”
Justice continued, “Tom is a real believer in public education, and his contribution will be difficult to measure for years if not decades and decades to come.”