The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
School board votes ‘no confidence’ in CEO
The Lorain City School Board of Education has “no confidence” in the district’s chief executive officer or the state legislation that governs the academic distress process.
Now the board will seek a lawyer “to identify and consider legal options and actions” available to the school board to address its concerns.
On March 19, Lorain City School Board members Tony Dimacchia, Mark Ballard, Yvonne Johnson, Tim Williams and Bill Sturgill voted on two resolutions in their continuing deliberations
about the district’s state ranking in “academic distress.”
The board did not mention CEO David Hardy Jr. by name, but the members declared they have “no confidence” in the CEO and the direction of Lorain City Schools. The board also took aim at House Bill 70, the state law governing the Academic Distress Commission that oversees Lorain Schools.
“It’s extremely frustrating and we just don’t have the confidence that the district is moving in the right direction,” said Dimacchia, who is board president.
Hardy did not attend the meeting.
In a statement afterward, Hardy said he wants to “focus on the education of our young people instead of politicizing them.”
“I remain hopeful that the board will engage in conversations on how to improve academic outcomes for our scholars in the community we all love,” Hardy
said. “It has become apparent this doesn’t seem to be a common priority.
“We, as a district, will move forward and continue to do right by our kids and their families who depend on us to provide their children the education they deserve,” he said. “This work is hard and it would be great to have the support of our school board in our effort to change our district’s academic circumstances.
“Regardless, we will push forward with an unrelenting focus on the education of our young people instead of politicizing of them,” Hardy said.
In recent weeks the board members have stated they have little, if any, communication with Hardy. They have argued they don’t have enough information to make decisions about a possible school levy that could affect the finances of the
district.
In the resolution, the board members said they have no confidence in the CEO to make decisions in the best interest of the students and the community. The resolution stated they have no confidence in his ability to operate with fiscal responsibility or increase academic achievement in the students of Lorain Schools.
The board has no confidence in the CEO’s ability to operate within the constitutional rights of the taxpayers of Lorain.
Dimacchia has made public records requests for information about the district and Hardy’s studies and decisions. In the board resolution, the school board authorized an ad hoc committee to engage legal counsel to pursue information and possibly file a lawsuit.
After the meeting, Dimacchia said he plans to
meet with state lawmakers and the Ohio School Boards Association about to discuss the effects of HB 70.
“This is a very bad bill that is nothing but politics,” he said.
“And of course at the end of the day, this is going to affect children and I don’t think they care,” Dimacchia said about the Columbus lawmakers who drafted the law.
In the Lorain School Board meeting of March 19, the board actions prompted at least 30 minutes of discussion as members of the public continued to ask about the board’s relationship to Hardy.
From the resolution of no confidence in the CEO:
• “The CEO has irresponsibly spent the taxpayers money on administration and out of state firms and has made zero investment in the classroom or the education of our students in
Lorain City Schools.
• “The CEO, Department of Education and (Academic Distress) Commission have had no communication with the elected Board of Education.
• “The CEO, Ohio Department of Education and Commission have withheld valuable information from the elected board of education and denied the requests of the BOE for public information on numerous occasions.
• “The BOE believes that the CEO and HB 70 is a violation of the constitutional rights of the citizens of Lorain,” because the state constitution requires the state “to secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the state.”
• “The CEO, Ohio Department of Education and Commission along with HB 70 have exercised taxation without representation.”