The Detroit public school board has selected Jeremiah Steen to succeed Iris Taylor, the former board treasurer and longtime Detroit health care official who died at 74 last month.
Steen will serve through the end of the year to complete Taylor's term, according to a release on the distrct's website. He ran for the school district board in 2024, when he was 23 and lost a 22-person race for three open seats. He campaigned on increasing student representation at the district level, promoting restorative justice instead of traditional disciplinary practices and aiming to help students build future careers in Detroit.
He was appointed Aug. 19 by the Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education to continue Taylor's term because he scored higher than the other candidate in the board's appointment process and was the higher vote-getter in a recent election, according to a school district's press release. Both candidates were interviewed during a public board meeting and then evaluated.
"We are proud to welcome Jeremiah Steen and grateful for his willingness to serve," said LaTrice McClendon, president of the Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education. "Public service is one of the greatest honors a person can accept, and I know he understands the responsibility that comes with helping create opportunities for the next generation."
More: Iris Taylor, Detroit health care and education leader, dies at 74
Steen is a community advocate. He founded and directs the Steen Foundation, a youth-oriented social group that promotes inquisitive thinking, community and creativity. He is a community growth fellow with CEDAM, a statewide community and economic development nonprofit. He was a member of the Skillman Foundation's Youth Council and is involved with other leadership, environmental and community organizations.
He will join the seven-member board of education at "a pivotal time," the release said.
"Our community deserves a process that is open, thoughtful, and transparent," McClendon said. "We are grateful to every candidate who stepped forward to serve. Their passion for our students and their willingness to give back remind us that Detroit is filled with people who believe in the power of public education and are committed to the success of every child."
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Youth advocate Jeremiah Steen to join Detroit Public Schools board