By Ann Doss Helms
ahelms@charlotteobserver.com

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board made a major change of leadership Tuesday, electing first-time officeholders Ericka Ellis-Stewart as chairwoman and Mary McCray as vice chairwoman.

They were the top two vote-getters in the November at-large election and are part of a new Democratic majority on the nine-member board. Both were chosen for the leadership roles in an 8-0 vote.

"Hopefully we can move forward as a unified board," Ellis-Stewart said after the meeting.

Tim Morgan shifted from the District 6 seat to the third at-large post Tuesday, leaving his old seat vacant. The board will appoint a replacement in January.

The two new members displaced Eric Davis as chairman and Tom Tate as vice chairman. That pair led the board through a stretch that included national honors and intense controversy at home. Davis and Tate have been leading the superintendent search that began when Peter Gorman resigned in June; it is expected to conclude with a hiring in March.

Ellis-Stewart said she expects she and McCray will take over leading the search, and the new board will have to discuss whether to revise the plan.

Before the election, Ellis-Stewart and McCray were leading critics. As a Harding High parent, Ellis-Stewart chided the board for planning to close one of its highest-performing magnet schools and for putting the burden of school closings on low-income and minority families.

One of her first tasks as chairwoman was to guide a discussion of the aftermath for 42 schools, including Harding.

McCray was president of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Association of Educators, and challenged the board on increased testing and teacher performance pay.

Jockeying for the chairmanship continued through Tuesday afternoon, board members said. The board traditionally unites for the public vote once it becomes clear who has the votes to win the leadership posts.

Cheers and applause from the full house greeted the votes. At the meeting's end, some board members publicly welcomed their new leaders.

"I look forward to working together and moving forward to benefit the academic achievement of students," Tate said.

"We're going to be behind you every step of the way," said Richard McElrath.

For the last two years, no political party held a majority on the board, which is chosen in nonpartisan elections. The new board has five Democrats and four African-Americans, a stronger black presence than the board has had since 2003.

Member Rhonda Lennon also noted that there are now four women.

"Girls rule!" she said.

The current group also is one of the least experienced in recent memory. Tate was elected to represent District 4 in 2005, and the other four remaining district members were elected in 2009. Neither Ellis-Stewart nor McCray has served on an elected body, but neither had Davis when he was selected as chairman just after being sworn in two years ago.

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