Nonprofit Mississippi News Tate Reeves made one of his final official acts as lieutenant governor. Tate Reeves announced that he would appoint Nancy Collins, former state senator from Tupelo, to a seat on the Mississippi State Board of Education. Mississippi Today received a July 1, 2019 letter Reeves sent Collins informing her about the appointment. Collins claimed that she didn’t know about the appointment until after Reeves made it public on January 3, 2020. This discrepancy in the date of the appointment raises the question whether Reeves, who was opposed by pro-public education groups during the heated 2019 gubernatorial election campaign, delayed making the announcement for political reasons. Renae Eze, Reeves’ spokesperson said that the letter was backdated to when the vacancy took place and sent after the election. “We announced the appointment following the campaign so that the people of Mississippi could believe it was made with good faith,” Renae Eze, Reeves’ spokesperson said. The appointment creates a potential dramatic vote for the state senators who are members of the Senate Education Committee. They will vote on Reeves’ nomination. Reeves’ January decision was met with ridicule by some supporters of public education, who were against Collins in the state Senate, and have always opposed Reeves. Collins, who was a close ally of Reeves during her five years in Senate, became a major foe of public education advocacy organizations after she introduced voucher-like legislation. One public education advocacy group encouraged its members to call their state senators to oppose Collins’ appointment after Reeves made it official. Mississippi Today was informed by Collins and the Mississippi Department of Education that they had not been aware of Collins’ appointment until January. According to legislative records, the Senate was informed of the appointment on January 7, 2020. According to legislative records, there is no record of the appointment at the Secretary of State’s Office. This is the state’s repository of state transactions. Collins could technically have started serving last summer, as the July 2019 letter indicated. The appointment was confirmed by the committee in spring 2019. Collins stated that she was honored to be asked to join the Board and added that she didn’t know of any conflicts. She stated that she was warmly received by members of her department, which is overseen and supervised by the state board. Collins was featured in a television campaign advertisement for Reeves, which aired throughout the state in July 2019. This was the month Collins’ appointment letter was dated. The nomination was unique because it was made by the lieutenant governor as he left office. The Senate is known to refuse to nominate the incumbent officeholder and instead leave the nominations to their successor. Reeves will have an opportunity to nominate to the Board of Education as governor later in the year. The state officials appoint the nine-member board. Five positions are appointed by the governor: one for each of the North, Central and South Supreme Court districts. Each speaker and the lieutenant governor get two representatives at-large. This means that they don’t have to meet any occupational or residential requirements. The state superintendent is appointed by the board. He also serves as the secretary of the board. Two student representatives are also elected to the board. Members serve nine-year terms. The board meets monthly to discuss policy, adopt rules and make recommendations for the Mississippi Department of Education. Collins was a new board member at the Jan. 16 meeting. Charles McClelland’s term ended in July 2019, and Collins was replaced by her. This seat is appointed by the lieutenant governor. Mississippi Today spoke to all 15 members in the Senate Education Committee, asking how they would vote at her confirmation hearing. Only one of the 15 senators — Senator John Polk, R.Hattiesburg — said that he would vote for Collins’ confirmation. “Nancy Collins served with me. Polk stated that they are good friends. “She’s very capable, and I’m happy to see her appointed on the board.” The majority of the members are not committed to how they vote on the nomination. Sen. Brice Wiggins (R-Pascagoula) said, “As far Nancy, I served alongside her in the Senate.” “She is a great person with many good ideas, so I understand the governor’s nomination. We’ll see what happens when she is nominated.” Sen. Chad McMahan (R-Guntown), a member of the committee that defeated Collins in 2015 said Reeves had “extended me the courtesy to call me before the appointment.” He chose to make his own choice. I made many recommendations. Bryan stated, “We will get there later in the session.” “… I know there will be nominations, but I haven’t been keeping up with them yet.” Doty said that she had “other things” and Boyd said that she would review the nomination later. Senator David Blount (D-Jackson) said that he didn’t have any comment. Many senators on this committee admitted that the vote was controversial. Others said they were looking into Collins’ past to find out if she is committed to public education. “Normally, I prefer to give deference the governor on appointments,” stated Sen. Briggs Hopson (R-Vicksburg). The confirmation hearing will be held near the end the legislative session and no members of the committee have indicated that they would vote against Collins. Mississippi Today spoke to some Democrats who said that they would rather hear directly from Collins than rely on her state legislative actions. Sen. Sollie norwood, D. Jackson, said that she has not written her off because of her past. “I would love to hear her thoughts on public education. That’s what matters to me.” Senator David Jordan, D. Greenwood, stated that it is not about someone’s history. Jordan stated, “It’s all about whether they can do it — I have nothing against her.” Lt. Governor. Delbert Hosemann’s staff helped to build relationships with many public education advocacy groups during the 2019 campaign. However, they have remained mum about the hearing. Leah Smith, Hosemann’s deputy chief of staff, said this week to Mississippi Today: “We will let the Education Committee handle the process.” Collins was a resentful senator who has always been a supporter of Reeves. The controversial Education Scholarship Account legislation, which provided public funding for a small number of special-needs children to attend private schools, was written by her. This program has been criticised for many reasons. One reason was the accusation by a legislative oversight panel of not having enough oversight. Collins also proposed legislation, to the dismay and surprise of teachers and public retirees. It would have frozen their annual cost-of-living adjustment for a certain period. After the protests from retired people, she decided not to file the legislation. McMahan defeated Collins in a 2015 election campaign. McMahan defeated Collins in a 2015 re-election campaign. Nancy Loome, executive director at The Parent’s Campaign (a support group for public school advocacy), said, “I believe that when we evaluate whether or not someone’s suitability for an appointment is the best evidence we have is looking at that person’s past actions and where she had a real responsibility to taxpayers, I think we have reason to be concerned.” “And based on her past actions, and in a place where she had a real obligation to taxpayers, we have reason for concern,” Loome, executive director of The Parent’s Campaign, said. Although it seems unlikely, the Senate Education Committee could reject the nomination. Hosemann could be appointed to the board, instead of Reeves, if the committee rejects Collins’ nomination. To support this important work, you can make a regular donation to the Spring Member Drive today. Our reporters give a human face to policy’s impact on everyday Mississippians by listening more closely and understanding their communities. 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