CNMI BOE meeting ends abruptly with board member walking out

05/13/2025 - After three days of convening, the CNMI Board of Education’s meeting ended abruptly on Monday afternoon at their office on Capitol Hill after BOE member Andrew Orsini stormed out amid a heated discussion about school leadership rotations.

Discussions began to erupt after the board voted on whether to endorse Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence Camacho’s proposed plan for the rotation of school principals. 

BOE chairperson Aschumar Kodep Ogumoro-Uludong and BOE member Maisie B. Tenorio voted yes. BOE vice chairperson  Anthony Dela Cruz Barcinas and BOE member Andrew L. Orsini voted no. Teacher representative Dr. Dora Muira and student representative Vinnie Sablan, who were present, are non-voting members of the board.

The vote did not pass with an even split among its members.

“This has been ongoing for almost a year now. Coming June, this conversation about [the] strategic rotation of principals will have its first anniversary…and I talked to every one of the principals that will be impacted with this rotation and I think it is so important…to this advancement…I do not want to rush to failure,” Commissioner Camacho said after the vote.

While Camacho was still speaking, BOE member Orsini interrupted. “This is a board meeting and this is already out of order. The board already made a decision not to move forward or what…This is more of a grandstanding for commissioner given the media is here,” Orsini said as he also made a motion to adjourn the meeting.

“Not grandstanding to me, somebody else may be grandstanding…,” Camacho responded. Orsini began to walk out as Camacho continued his remarks. He told Camacho, “Come back with a more comprehensive study so that we can move forward for our children. That is all I am asking.”

The education chief said he presented a plan that he thought the board would endorse. Camacho concluded, “I think the rotation of principals is very important to move this district forward. There are a lot of schools that need help and we are trying to work together to make sure that we have the right leadership in place.”

The board meeting ended with Orsini’s exit as they no longer had a quorum.

When asked for comment on what transpired at the end of the meeting, BOE chairperson Ogumoro-Uludong told Marianas Press, “All I will say at this point is that the board passed some significant measures and has to now render its position on the principal rotation. I will work with my colleagues to set a meeting date to address that issue.”

During the meeting, Ogumoro-Uludong also provided an update on the school system’s constitutionally mandated 25% of the annual CNMI budget. He formed an ad hoc committee comprised of himself, the teacher representative, and Tenorio. The committee is expected to work with stakeholders regarding ongoing budget issues. 

In an interview after the meeting, BOE member Tenorio told Marianas Press, “Governor Palacios came to the board when we first convened last week and he made a personal plea and so we really took that to heart to try and see how we can partner with them to move forward.”

Tenorio said the committee will regularly report their findings and next steps to the public.

Story by Thomas Manglona II