Stephen A. Broughton has resigned from the Zone 6 seat on the Pine Bluff School District board, which Monday appointed Bonita Corbin to serve in that position through the Nov. 5 general election.
In his resignation letter to district Superintendent Jennifer Barbaree dated March 1, Broughton indicated he “officially relocated out of the district,” adding he still has a home in the PBSD. Barbaree read the letter publicly during Monday’s board meeting.
“It has been a pleasure working with you and the other board members to improve the Pine Bluff School District, and I feel that my main goal initially of getting the district out of state control has been achieved,” Broughton wrote. “With that being the case, I feel that the district is in good hands at this time and my original plan to relocate to be closer to my children could proceed. Being a Pine Bluff High School graduate, I will always support the district and wish you all continued success in its management. Best wishes!”
Broughton was one of the seven members appointed in late 2022 by an Arkansas Board of Education-organized committee as the state granted the district limited local authority. The district was granted full local authority last September, after which lots were drawn for each board member’s election date.
University of Arkansas System Board Chairman Stephen Broughton conducts business during a Nov. 17, 2021, regular session of the system Board of Trustees meetings at the UAPB STEM center. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Broughton, a psychiatrist and former member of the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees, drew November 2028 as his election date. Title 6(e) of the Arkansas Code calls for an appointee to serve in place of the vacating board member until the next annual school election.
Corbin did not commit to running Nov. 5 to fulfill Broughton’s term. The Zone 7 seat held by Lori Walker Guelache is also up for election that date.
“That’s something I might consider doing,” Corbin said. “I’m not committed right now, but I’m still going to think about it.”
Corbin said she became interested when she learned Broughton moved out of the district. She said she called board President Sederick Charles Rice and asked him about possibly being appointed.
Corbin started as a special education teacher, then worked in the Department of Finance and Administration before returning to education and completing licensure requirements. She taught in the Little Rock School District for three years and is now a director in the Division of Continuing Studies at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
She was sworn in Monday by 11th West Circuit Sixth Division Judge Earnest Brown.
“Mrs. Corbin and I have worked together for several years with concurrent enrollment for students in the Pine Bluff School District,” Rice said. “I know she will be an asset to this board. … One of our goals is to make sure we appoint good people and work with good people, and again we’re moving forward.”