The suggestion of a candidate for a vacant school board position led to what one aldermen called a &uot;miniature protest&uot;&160;at Tuesday’s Natchez Board of Aldermen meeting.

After a debate in executive session, Ward 1 Alderman Joyce Arceneaux, Ward 2 Alderman George &uot;Shake&uot; Harden and Ward 4 Alderman Theodore &uot;Bubber&uot; West walked outside the council chambers building for several minutes to protest the suggestion that Dale Steckler be appointed to the Natchez-Adams School Board.

Steckler is the widow of Dr. David Steckler, who died last week just two weeks after he was reappointed to a second term on the school board.

Although it is often a tradition to appoint the spouse of deceased officials to a vacant position, the protesting aldermen said they thought the time was not right for an appointment.

The aldermen were &uot;protesting the fact that we thought it was too early to bring up an appointment on a school board,&uot; said West, who called the walkout a &uot;miniature protest.&uot;

If the three aldermen had not returned to the meeting, the board would not have had a quorum and could not have held its regular meeting. West said the three aldermen returned to the meeting after they felt assured the board would not pursue the appointment.

Harden agreed it was not good judgment to suggest a school board appointment during the last few weeks of the administration. &uot;I was ready to walk out,&uot; said Harden, who won’t be returning to office after being defeated in the Democratic primary by James &uot;Ricky&uot; Gray.

The three aldermen said the board should wait to make the appointment after the new city administration takes office July 1.

The aldermen also cited the continued debate over an appointed versus elected school board. Both the city and county have gone on record as supporting an elected school board, but efforts through the court system and state Legislature have so far failed to produce an elected school board.

Two of the present school board members live in the same neighborhood and in the same county supervisory district — the same neighborhood in which Dale Steckler lives.

Arceneaux, Harden and West, who are black, all support an elected school board, but since that is not yet an option, they believe each of the county’s five supervisory districts should have a member on the school board.

Arceneaux said the issue is not about race but about making sure the school district is operated by a cross-section of people. &uot;I think we need to make sure that every area of Natchez-Adams County (is) represented on the school board,&uot;&160;she said.

West agreed the issue is not racial. &uot;If we are going to move progressively in this community we need to stop looking at things racially,&uot; he said.

But West said he thinks the aldermen need to consider the racial makeup of the majority-black school district and make sure the school board is a reflection of it. &uot;Some people might characterize it as a race issue,&uot; he said. &uot;I characterize it as common sense.&uot;

The district is about 80 percent black, but prior to Steckler’s death the school board was was majority-white — comprised of three white members and two black.

Ward 5 Alderman Dave Massey said he suggested naming Dale Steckler to the school board after being told the other school board members suggested her appointment.

After learning Arceneaux, Harden and West were against the idea, Massey backed off on the issue. The matter did not come up during open meeting.

Dale Steckler declined to comment.