Black Lives Matter leader and former Baltimore mayoral candidate DeRay Mckesson has been appointed to a Cabinet position with Baltimore City Public Schools.
Incoming Chief Executive Officer Sonja Santelises on Tuesday appointed Mr. Mckesson to be interim chief human capital officer.
Ms. Santelises said Mr. Mckesson, who once served as assistant to the director and strategist in the human capital office, would lead the office at least through the fall, The Baltimore Sun reported.
The office is responsible for staffing schools and dealing with reforms, The Associated Press said.
“He has the depth of knowledge of the system, and he has proved that he can lift the work in a short amount of time,” Ms. Santelises told the Sun. “And he has proven his dedication to the children of Baltimore.”
Mr. Mckesson said he was proud to join Ms. Santelises’ team.
“At its core, this role is about finding great people, matching them to the right role and helping them to develop and experience careers in the service of our kids,” Mr. Mckesson said. “I am excited to return to city schools … and to continue doing the work to ensure that every child in Baltimore city receives a world-class education.”
The Board of School Commissioners approved the appointment Tuesday. Mr. Mckesson will earn a salary of $165,000.
The 30-year-old Baltimore native became a prominent face of the Black Lives Matter movement after 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.
He finished sixth in the Democratic primary for Baltimore mayor in April.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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