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The Syracuse City School Board is moving to remove Commissioner Cherylene "Twiggy" Billue after a resolution was passed on Friday (December 26) claiming she engaged in conduct warranting her removal. The board's decision, made during a brief, last-minute meeting, marks the first step in the removal process, though the specific conduct leading to this action has not been disclosed.
Billue, who was re-elected in November for a second four-year term, was absent from the meeting. The resolution calls for written charges to be drafted against her and for a hearing to be convened as soon as possible. The district has not revealed details of the alleged conduct, and Billue has not responded to multiple calls for comment.
The removal of a school board member is rare but not unprecedented in New York, where there are procedures for removing members who neglect their duties or violate laws or school rules. The resolution comes amid a separate lawsuit involving Billue's son, Mered Billue, who is accused of sexual harassment by a district security guard. However, it is unclear if this lawsuit is related to the removal effort.
Billue, a longtime activist in Syracuse, was first elected to the school board in 2021. The board's decision was made during a meeting that was not live-streamed, with an incomplete agenda posted shortly before the meeting began. The resolution was only made public after the meeting concluded.