Kenston Parents Demand Action to Combat Ongoing Racism
After Disturbing Video Circulates Online
Kenston Board of Education Special Meeting – July 16, 2024
Meeting Details: The Kenston Board of Education (BOE) Special Meeting took place on July 16, 2024, beginning at 7p.m. This Special Meeting replaced the Regular July 15, 2024 meeting that was canceled due to member scheduling conflicts. The video is posted on the YouTube page here. View the agenda online and any attached documents here by selecting the meeting tab and then the meeting date and agenda.
Board Attendance: Jim Henry, Dennis Bergansky, Beth Krause, and Tom Manning.
Absent: Jennifer Troutman
Staff in Attendance: Superintendent Steven Sayers and Treasurer Seth Cales.
Reviewer Note: The time stated for each segment of the meeting indicates the time on the video.
8.32 Min Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance
9.15 Min SPECIAL MEETING WELCOME AND ROLL CALL: This meeting is being held in accordance with Section 3313.15 of the Ohio Revised Code.
10.24 Min Approval of the Minutes The Kenston Board of Education approved the minutes of the Regular Meeting on June 21, 2024 as recorded or corrected and approved that the reading of these minutes be waived. The minutes of these meetings can be found here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 3.1 on the agenda. Mr. Bergansky abstained as he was not present at the June 21, 2024 meeting.
11 Min Commendations will be completed in the fall when the students return to school.
11.15 Min Hearing of the Public on Agenda Items - None
11.36 Min Financial Items - Approved. These are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 7.1-7.6 on the agenda.
12.07 Min Certified Personnel Items - Approved. These items are available here for review by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 8.1 on the agenda.
13.28 Min Classified Personnel Items - Approved. These items are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 9.1- 9.9 on the agenda. Observer Note: There were three separate approvals, two for contract adjustments.
14.42 Min Supplemental Personnel Items - Approved. These items are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 10.1-10.4 on the agenda.
15.05 Min Exempt Personnel Items - Approved. These are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 11.1-11.3 on the agenda.
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Julianne Walker resigned as the KMS Assistant Principal. Observer Note: The Board offered no comments or discussion regarding Mrs. Walker’s resignation. Reviewer Note: Mrs. Walker was the principal of Kenston Intermediate School (KIS) from 2022-2024, and she was set to become an Assistant Principal at Kenston Middle School (KMS) as of July 1, 2024 upon the closure of KIS according to the Rightsizing Plan. It is unknown why Mrs. Walker resigned or what effect this will have upon the administration of KMS.
15.30 Min Business Operations - Approved. Available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 12.1 on the agenda.
15.52 Min Teaching and Learning - Approved. These items are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 13.1 on the agenda.
16.15 Min Special Education Items - Approved. These are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 14.1 - 14.16 on the agenda. There were a variety of contracts for special education services. See video for more detailed information.
17.15 Min New Business Items- Approved. These items can be found here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 16.1-16.4 on the agenda.
17.42 Min Hearing of The Public on Non-Agenda items
Observer Note: The meeting room seats were largely filled with family groups, a number of whom were there to speak during this time. Parents spoke and most had their children standing beside them. During the presentations, one parent asked the Board if they would respond during the meeting to the present community’s concerns. Mr. Manning responded to the audience that the Board does not address each commenter at the time of the meeting, but the Board will follow up with each speaker at a later time. He stated that the Board must speak as one voice.
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Five parents, one of whom was also a Kenston teacher, stood to speak to the Board about their childrens’ and students’ ongoing experiences with racism at Kenston Schools and more specifically, about the district’s lack of transparent handling of a video posted on a private social media page on or around July 5th. In this video, a white Kenston student used racial slurs and expressed both his hatred for and his desire to kill Black students. Observer Note: Each parent was given three minutes to speak in accordance with Board policy, which can be found here by going to the Policy tab, then selecting Bylaws, then selecting Public Participation at Board Meetings Policy 0169.1.
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One parent, a family member from three generations of Kenston grads, spoke of her own experience with racism while at Kenston. She expressed frustration that a “climate” and “culture” of racism continues to thrive in the district today, such that she felt she must prepare her own children for this experience, despite “empty promises of change.” She stated that the lack of action on the part of the district has only emboldened racist behavior, such that one student felt free to post a hateful and threatening video early in July, and Kenston’s Black community has yet to hear of any actions or consequences that have been taken. She expressed her fear and concern that, in a time of increasing numbers of school shootings, a student free to express such racist hate might also feel freer to act on that hatred. She expressed a loss of faith in the district to protect the community’s students.
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One parent, who is also a teacher at KHS, shared stories of students who, after graduation, have told her about their experiences with racism and racial slurs in the halls and in their classrooms. When she asks them why they didn’t speak up, many tell her that they do not report these events because they feel that “no one does anything to stop it or change it.” As a teacher, she spoke with administrators Santilli, Gabrams, and Poe. While they did receive professional development as teachers, she expressed concern that nothing has changed for students and she believes that in 8 years, the situation has only gotten worse. She asked that the school district implement diversity learning for each grade that is age appropriate and deals with inclusivity. She asked that the district work harder to involve and include parents of minority students in the school community. She advised that one example of the lack of inclusivity involved holding PTA (Parent Teacher Association) meetings during the day when working parents cannot participate. She concluded by saying that students should not have to “be afraid to attend school.”
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One parent and alumni who founded the MAC (Minority Achievement Committee) said she experienced racism as a student and again later as a parent. She asked the Board, “What is our policy or protocol to combat and control racism?” She expressed the belief that, while the district may not be able to control what is learned in the home, they should be taking stronger actions to prevent students from getting away with racist behavior which has become the norm.
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One parent stated firmly to the Board that the minority community would no longer tolerate racism in 2024. She advised that parents will no longer tolerate their students being called racial epithets and receiving racial threats in person or on social media. She expressed her frustration at racial epithets being simply “painted” over in the district. She feels the student (responsible for the video) should be expelled and the district should firmly adopt a no-tolerance policy. She expressed frustration that there are programs like DARE to teach students not to smoke or drink, but nothing to teach them that racism is not right or tolerated.
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Parents expressed concern about what they saw as a lack of transparency on the part of the Board and the district, especially in regard to the most recent video that was shared on social media. Two parents advised that they chose Kenston because of its excellent academic reputation. They expressed anger and frustration at what they feel is a district-wide issue remaining unaddressed, and they are fearful of sending their children to school when such incidents are on the rise and they can see no viable solutions being offered by the district’s administration.
Reviewer Note: More information regarding the video, the comments made at this Board meeting, and the district’s letter to the Kenston community about this matter are available in this WKYC article/video. The current Kenston policy on harassment can be found here by going to the Policy tab, then selecting Students, then selecting Anti-Harassment Policy 5517.
38.50 Min Mr. Sayers thanked parents for sharing their thoughts and concerns. He stated that the district is aware of the video incident and finds it very disturbing. As part of his response, he said:
“We have policies in place as it relates to harassment- as it relates to discrimination. We have a PEAK (Peaceful Environment at Kenston) initiative that’s in place as well, but ultimately, our goal is to make sure that all students, every student, feels safe, valued, and respected. It’s clear that we have some work to do as a district, and we are, as I say, aware of this and administratively, we are working on it. In addition, I know the Bainbridge Police Department is aware of the incident, and they are working on it as well. We don’t have answers at this time, but I again will say on behalf of our district, that we are working on it. Unfortunately, it’s an ongoing investigation, so there is nothing really that I can say at this time- we are investigating and we are continuing to gather information.”
Observer Note: At different times in the hearing from the public, there was some back and forth between Mr. Manning and the audience as to why no presentations were directly responded to by the Board members. Mr. Manning explained that responses by the administration would be made individually to members of the community at a later time via email and that the Board must speak as one voice at the meeting.
40.30 Min Treasurer’s Report No financial update/report at this time, but Mr. Cales noted that this was Mr. Sayers’ last board meeting with Kenston, and also noted that he has now been in the district for one year this month.
41.22 Min Superintendent’s Report
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The incoming superintendent, Dr. Willingham, is aware of the current situation regarding the video and has been updated on the details. Mr. Sayers advised that they will be working together over the next week to transition to Mr. Willingham’s leadership.
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He thanked the BOE for the opportunity to serve the district for two years.
43.21 Min Motion to adjourn was approved at 7:37pm and the video ended at 44.28 Min
Observer Note: After the motion to adjourn and before the vote, members of the audience attempted to ask questions of the Board. Such questions included: When can we expect a response, and how will that response be sent? Will you follow up with the people who did not speak? Mr. Manning advised that the administration would respond to all concerned members of the audience and that the conversation could continue after adjournment. Other comments indicated that some members of the audience were concerned that the meeting/recording of events would end with no definitive answers, solution, deadlines, or responses provided. During this back-and-forth, and adjournment vote, a parent to the left of me offered to show me the video discussed above. I found it to be very disturbing and clearly threatening to Black students.
After the meeting and video ended, one of the parent speakers asked the Board members if any had actually seen the video (other than Mr. Sayers). Most had not, except for Mr. Bergansky, who advised that he saw the video only a short time before the meeting, and that he found it disturbing. Comments from the audience after this gave this observer the impression that community members did want to hear the Board members communicate their regrets, and they also wanted to be updated on the results of the various investigations and actions to be taken (or not) in a public session. Dr. Krause explained that the Board must speak officially as one voice, but she also then expressed her concern over the video. As I prepared to leave, I noted that various parents remained behind to talk to Board members. Board members were, as individuals, speaking and listening to small groups of parents.
Next regular meeting: August 19, 2024 at 7 pm
More information here: Board of Education | Kenston Local Schools
Observer: Jacqueline Berger
Editor: Gail Roussey
Reviewer: Sarah McGlone
Date Submitted: 7/20/2024
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