FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Columbus, OH – Days after a shocking leaked Columbus City Schools memo [READ LEAKED MEMO] regarding the Superintendent’s Community Facilities Task Force detailed plans to use racial divides to attack opponents of school closures and hide information from taxpayers, evidence has begun to emerge that elements of the leaked plan have, in fact, already been enacted. At the Board of Education meeting on May 21, referring to the memo presented by Board member Brandon Simmons, Board President Christina Vera’s claimed that “No action has been or will be taken by the District or the Board of Education to implement the Board Member’s suggestions.”
On Wednesday, May 22, legal counsel from the firm of Cloppert, Latanick, Sauter, and Washburn retained by the Columbus Education Association sent a letter [READ FULL LETTER] to Columbus City Schools General Counsel James Barnes detailing this evidence and requesting a written response. Specifically:
- The May 21 Board meeting was scheduled, and publicly advertised, as being held at Hilltonia Middle School, and then changed without public announcement to the Board Offices at 3700 S. High St. The leaked memo includes both “Next meeting at 3700 – Reclaim our space” (Page 4) and “Change the location last minute” (Page 6).
- The Board meeting agenda was rearranged without prior public announcement. Public comments, which are regularly near the beginning of the agenda, were moved to the end of the agenda after a lengthy executive session more than an hour in length. The plan includes “Rearrange the speaking order” (Page 5).
- Significantly fewer seats were available for the public at the May 21 meeting than normal. The seats that were available were, in large part, filled with Columbus City Schools administrators. More than 30 parents and teachers were forced into an overflow room. The plan includes “Fill the room with staff and task force members. Do not tell them in advance.” (Page 6).
- Additionally, a special Board of Education meeting was called for May 22nd at 6:00 p.m, apparently without 24-hour public notice of the meeting as required by law.
In addition to the items specifically noted in the letter, Board of Education President Vera and Board Member Simmons gathered media at Columbus Alternative High School on Tuesday, May 14 for a widely reported discussion on the age and disrepair of the building. Page 4 of the leaked memo calls for a “Tuesday 14th Press Conference”, “at our oldest and worst most crumbling building”.
Each of these Board actions, enumerated specifically in the leaked memo, contradict Board President Vera’s claim that no action has been taken to implement these plans. Members of the community and the Columbus Education Association reiterate our call for the following four immediate action items to restore trust in the Board:
- Board member Brandon Simmons must immediately resign.
- Any other Board of Education member who participated in authoring the document must immediately come forward publicly.
- All communications regarding the Task Force by and between Board of Education members and Board employees must be made public for community review, consistent with Ohio Revised Code Section 149 et. Seq.
- Each Board member must provide immediate public assurances, in writing, that none of the plan’s elements have been, or will be, put into effect in order to avoid the need for further legal action. The undersigned parties have retained legal counsel in this matter.
- Recommendations of the Superintendent’s current Community Facilities Task Force must not be adopted by the Board of Education. Once trust in the Board of Education and faith in the transparency of their conduct has been restored, the process of reviewing the Board’s facilities and planning for the future of Columbus City Schools must start over with true community input from all stakeholders.
The Columbus Education Association is the Union representing over 4,500 teachers, librarians, nurses, counselors, psychologists, and other education professionals in Columbus City Schools. The Columbus Education Association is a proud affiliate of the Ohio Education Association and the National Education Association.
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