Note to Readers: This article and the accompanying video contain adult language and threats of violence.

IFN Staff

Two members of the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education had to be separated by district staff members after the January 12 board meeting was adjourned early because tensions had flared between board members.

A majority of members voted to adjourn the meeting because board member Anita Kurn had repeatedly interrupted Chairman Kevin Angell as he was discussing board procedures and his expectations for board members.

A video of the incident provided to Iredell Free News by I-SS officials in response to a public records request shows the altercation between Angell and board member Mike Kubiniec.

As board members and district staff were packing up to leave the meeting room, Kubiniec picked up where Kurn had left off, accusing the chairman of violating standard parliamentary procedure and school board policy.

At that point, Angell stood up and responded to Kubiniec.

“The best thing that is going to happen to this community is when your sorry ass is out of it,” the newly elected chairman said.

“You guys are a huge problem to this community – the way you conduct your business. I don’t care if we talk about it on the record,” he added.

Kubiniec fired back: “Well, you’re off to a fine start, aren’t you?”

“I don’t give a shit what you think, Mike,” Angell responded.

“Then walk and don’t come back,” Kubiniec said, pointing to the door. “Walk and don’t come back.”

Moment later, as Angell walked past Kubiniec, the chairman said, “You’re lucky I don’t wear your ass out because that’s what you need.”

Kubiniec didn’t back down. “You want something? You want a piece of this?” he asked.

Angell, who had left the meeting dais and was heading for the exit, then turned and approached Kubiniec.

“What are you going to do, old man?” the chairman said.

 “Bring it on, bitch,” Kubiniec responded. “Bring it on, bitch.”

“I could kill you right now,” the chairman said.

The two men were practically chest to chest when Kelly McCarraher, the executive assistant to the superintendent and board clerk, intervened.

Just as tensions seemed to be diminishing and Angell appeared to be leaving the room, Kubiniec said, “Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.”

Angell then walked back toward Kubiniec and warned him: “Mike, you are this close to getting your fucking head ripped off.”

“Go ahead,” Kubiniec dared him. “Give me some. Right here.”

Several other adults in the room then stepped in and Angell was escorted out of the room as Kubiniec continued chiding him. “Somebody has anger management issues,” he said.

As Kubiniec left the room, the clerk expressed her disdain for what had just transpired.

“This is not how we represent Iredell-Statesville Schools,” she said.  

After McCarraher returned to her seat, Kurn approached her.

The board clerk then directed her frustration at Kurn.

“This is ridiculous and we — as a staff — we endure this. We feel the repercussions of y’all’s behavior. And enough is enough. If nobody else is going to say it then, by God, I am.”

The Aftermath

In the hours and days after the altercation, several members of the board shared their thoughts on the meeting and/or the incident that occurred after it was adjourned early.

Angell, in a statement and interview, apologized for how he handled himself. (See below for Angell’s complete statement.)

“My words and conduct after adjournment did not reflect the standard I expect of myself or the standard our community deserves,” he said in a statement. “I sincerely apologize to everyone who witnessed what occurred and who have been made aware in our community.”

His reaction to being interrupted and criticized by Kurn and Kubiniec during and after the meeting, Angell said, was the culmination of watching those board members disrupt and undermine the board’s proceedings for several months.

“As a human being, my central nervous system was overloaded and it came out,” he explained in an interview.

After initially stating that he would not preside over the next board meeting, he changed his mind and said he would serve in his capacity as chairman.

Kubiniec said what occurred during the meeting was “regretful.”

“I felt the meeting had started a downward spiral,” he said. “Knowing we had student recognitions that night and ended the meeting is unfortunate … We should all be regretful of what happened.”

As far as the incident that occurred after the meeting, Kubiniec said he issued a written apology to the board and staff two days later. In a statement issued to Iredell Free News on Monday, he described the altercation as “a heated exchange between Mr. Angell and me that resulted in unprofessional conduct and the use of inappropriate language.” (See below for Kubiniec’s complete statement.)

Meanwhile, the chairman’s threats of violence during the altercation, Kubiniec said, are a violation of board policy and should be addressed by the board.

“Given the severity of this conduct, the Board must determine appropriate accountability and take action accordingly, which may include censure and removal of Mr. Angell as Board Chair,” Kubiniec said.

Vice Chair Doug Knight, who made the motion to adjourn the meeting early, said the board must do better in the future.

“You have to have order and decorum. We didn’t have order or decorum. I hated to end the meeting because I knew it would be affecting a lot of people,” he said. “We have to work to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

Board member Ronda Hoke said the board members should remember why they were elected and act accordingly.

“We are an adult board. Everybody needs to act like an adult. We are there for the students,” he said.

Board member Brian Sloan said that he wasn’t in favor of ending the meeting early.

“We have to figure out how to get along,” he said. “We are putting a lot of emphasis on the speed of meetings, in my opinion. It was not a good representation for the kids.”

Kurn, meanwhile, said that she feared for her safety after things got out of control.

In an email that Kurn sent to other board members, she blamed Angell for what happened that night.

“Chairman Angell completely has the upper hand in this scenario. He has the gavel and he has the voter majority to execute his wishes. So why is he fighting a battle that is already won? Why did Chairman Angell choose to escalate a situation where he is already the winner?” she wrote to other board members.

Board member Cindy Haynes said she was disappointed by the events on January 12.

“We are adults and role models, especially for our students. When I was on the board before, we had decorum in the meetings, even though we disagreed. I learned to respect each of my colleagues,” Haynes said. 

“I’m disappointed that this occurred. I’m very concerned we adjourned. Hindsight is 20/20. We should have recessed and moved on,” she added. 

Haynes said that she believes the board should consider formal action against Angell, Kurn and Kubiniec. 

Kevin Angell’s Statement

The community deserves Board of Education meetings that are orderly, professional, and focused on the work of educating students. At our meeting on January 12th, 2025, that standard was not met. The meeting was adjourned early, and afterward I allowed the situation to escalate.

My words and conduct after adjournment did not reflect the standard, I expect of myself or the standard our community deserves.

I sincerely apologize to everyone who witnessed what occurred and who have been made aware in our community.

Accountability must be matched with corrective action. Effective immediately, I am implementing steps to stabilize our meetings and restore professionalism, including stricter enforcement of procedure and consultation with board counsel
and administration regarding parliamentary disruptions.

This moment is not about personalities. It is about the integrity of the institution, the effectiveness of governance, and our responsibility to keep students at the center of our work.

Mike Kubiniec’s Statement

When the meeting concluded on January 12, I raised concerns with the Board Chair and Board Attorney regarding breaches of parliamentary procedure and school board policy. This discussion regrettably escalated into a heated exchange between Mr. Angell and me that resulted in unprofessional conduct and the use of inappropriate language. On Wednesday, January 14, I issued an apology to the full Board and to the administrative staff who were present.

However, during this interchange, Mr. Angell made statements that included threats of physical harm and death. Any threat of violence—particularly language suggesting that someone could be killed—is serious and wholly unacceptable in any public or professional setting, particularly among elected officials.

Under our Code of Ethics Policy, the school board is a self-governing body with the authority – and duty – to discipline its members in accordance with parliamentary procedure and applicable law. Given the severity of this conduct, the Board must determine appropriate accountability and take action accordingly, which may include censure and removal of Mr. Angell as Board Chair.

Watch the Video