Worcester County Commissioner responds amid Board of Education accusations and confusion

WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. – For Worcester County residents, Kaleemah Barkley will be on the ballot Tuesday for Worcester County Board of Education.

Recently there have been reports that, while officially listed as a candidate, Barkley is “not actively running for Board of Education District 2.”

She did not respond to WMDT’s request to verify that claim.

In the event that Barkley is elected and chooses not to fill the seat, it would then fall to Worcester County Commissioners to vote on a replacement.

Commissioner Caryn Abbott faced accusations that she has advocated for Barkley as a candidate, so that she will be able to choose the next District 2 Board of Education member, an accusation that she denies.

“That’s patently false because I haven’t spoken to anybody, any voter, for Kaleemah Barkley. And the process doesn’t work like that,” Abbott said.

Commissioner Abbott said it would be the District 2 commissioner, Diana Purnell, who would nominate a replacement, with all the commissioners then voting on the candidate.

The only other candidate besides Barkley in the race is Donald Smack.