By Cindy Kranz
The Cincinnati Enquirer

GLENDALE - The Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) was scrambling Wednesday to determine who will be its new president, now that a Springdale woman narrowly lost her school board seat.

Tawana Lynn Keels, a Princeton City Schools board member since 1996, lost by a single percentage point in a four-way race for three positions Tuesday.

Keels, 43, was elected president-elect of OSBA this year and would have become president Jan. 1. She can't serve now, however, because the association president is required to serve on a school board.

"This is the first time it's ever happened, that I know of, that our incoming president didn't get re-elected," said Gary Motz, OSBA communications specialist. "Since it's never happened before, we're consulting our constitution to see who's going to fill her place."

Keels holds other OSBA positions that will end simultaneously with her school board term. She's a member of the board of trustees, Executive Committee, Conference Planning Committee and Student Achievement Leadership Team.

She also chairs the OSBA Legislative Platform Committee and OSBA Federal Relations Network, and belongs to the Ohio Caucus of Black School Board Members.

She is a member of the OSBA Southwest Region Executive Committee and former president of the Southwest Region, where she developed a recognition program highlighting outstanding programs.

Keels could not be reached for comment.

E-mail ckranz@enquirer.com