Supervisors Initiate Removal Of School Board Member

LOW MOOR — The Alleghany County Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to initiate legal steps to have Donnie Kern removed from his Clifton Forge West District seat on the school board.
Following a closed session, the board voted 6-0 to file a legal petition with the Alleghany County Circuit Court. Since Kern was appointed to the seat by the supervisors, his removal from the school board must be approved by a circuit court judge.
In September, supervisors launched an investigation into allegations levied by Kern against the school board and school employees. Kern has made numerous allegations against the school division since he was appointed to the board in 2018.
In early 2019, the school board was cleared of any wrongdoing by state officials after Kern filed numerous complaints against the school division. In 2019, the board of supervisors requested Kern’s resignation after disparaging remarks he made against special education students became public.
Supervisors held several discussions in closed sessions before making the move Tuesday to have Kern removed from office. Kern was interviewed in a closed session in October. Kern had hired lawyers to represent him in the county’s investigation.