McNealy and Vu sworn in as members of the Alachua County School Board

Two members of the Alachua County School Board were sworn in Tuesday evening: incumbent Leanetta McNealy, 75, and newcomer Thomas Vu, 37.

After the August election, McNealy retained his District 4 seat by nearly 15,000 votes, marking his fourth term in office. Vu defeated incumbent Diyonne McGraw by a margin of 54% to 46% to secure the District 2 seat.

Both men were sworn in during a ceremony in the district office meeting room, located at 620 E. University Ave., which was at capacity for the event.

“The era of deference is over,” Vu said in his acceptance speech.

The ceremony began with McNealy joining the stage to take the oath of office. Although she stumbled over a few words – much to the audience’s amusement – ​​she claimed she was “suitably qualified” for the job.

A round of applause erupted as McNealy accepted the oath and sat down to share a few words. She thanked her friends and family and stressed the importance of her role.

“I am proud of the Alachua County public school system,” McNealy said in her speech after the swearing-in. “Many achievements have been made for the benefit of students. However, there is much work to be done for students, employees, families and the community.

McNealy, who has served on the board for 12 years, has more than 35 years of experience as an educator and administrator in Alachua County. While recognizing the school board’s accomplishments for students, she reiterated her commitment to closing the racial gap, resolving rezoning issues and advocating for increased employee compensation.

“My goals continue to put children first, support efforts to improve and increase wages and benefits for all employees, increase professional technology and career options, and I will certainly never stop promote and support public education.”

Vu then took the stage, reciting the same oath McNealy had taken, marking the start of his first term. Although new to the elected position, Vu taught in Alachua County Public Schools from 2016 to 2021, where he served as math chair and team leader for Lincoln Middle School’s Lyceum Magnet program.

Before taking the oath, Vu asked that his family join him in the meeting room. Audience members adapted to free up space, ensuring his family could witness this moment.

He began his speech by expressing his gratitude.

“Thank you to our teachers and staff,” he said. “You are the heart of our schools. Every day you show up with passion and dedication. You shape young minds and inspire the next generation.

Standing as he delivered his speech, Vu highlighted the challenges ahead, noting that hard work would be essential to solving the problems facing Alachua County Public Schools.

He expressed concern about the district’s declining academic performance and called for the district’s budget to be changed to reflect the school board’s mission to families and students. He also stressed the need to increase respect, resources and compensation for teachers.

“As public servants, we must put the needs of our community first every step of the way,” Vu said. “This includes welcome feedback, even criticism, because that’s how we grow and improve.”

He is committed to advocating for transparency and accountability.

“We owe them (teachers and staff) recognition,” the new board member said. “This means there are no more ghost staff and no need to let them down. This means listening to their voices because they are the experts. They are the ones who do the real work day in and day out.

After Vu’s speech, McNealy expressed optimism about working together.

“The only thing I told him was, ‘You’re the youngest and I’m the oldest.’ You have to make all your ideas and goals come true, but you have to move a little slower and you have to learn to listen,” McNealy said. “And I know he has big aspirations, but you have to be very careful.”

The audience gave both board members a standing ovation after their remarks. After the ceremony, attendees congratulated McNealy and Vu, who posed for photos with friends, family, colleagues and fellow board members.

“I think a lot of people say a lot of things about what they want to do, but (Vu) will do what needs to be done,” said Cindy Tanner, a former colleague of Vu’s at Lincoln Middle School. “He’s served in many positions, so he hasn’t forgotten what it’s like to be in the trenches. He is the best advocate teachers can have.