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Heads up! Our parent watchdogs have scanned the upcoming agenda for Elyria City. We found 6 items that need your immediate attention before the vote.
| 🚨 HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 9) |
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Replacing History with Global Activism for $100,800
Under Item J.7, the Superintendent is asking the Board to approve a 3-year, $100,800 contract with Cengage/National Geographic for middle school social studies. This isn’t your old-school history class. This curriculum is known for pushing a ‘global citizenship’ and environmentalist agenda, potentially replacing traditional American history and civics with politically-charged content.
Recommended Action Plan
Call Board President Michael Gebhardt at (440) 284-8000. Demand to know: ‘Why are we spending over $100,000 on a social studies curriculum from a publisher known for ideological bias? I demand this item be pulled for a full public curriculum review before any vote.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $100,800
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| 🚨 HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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Secret ‘Student Services’ and Union Contracts Voted on in the Dark
The Board is scheduled to approve multiple contracts without making the documents public. Item M.1 is a new teachers’ union contract, and Items J.2, J.11, and others are for outside ‘student services’ vendors like ‘Trust The Journey Academy’ and ‘Education Alternatives.’ We have no idea what is in these agreements, what they cost, or what services will be provided to children, potentially without parental consent. This is a massive transparency failure.
Recommended Action Plan
PACK THE ROOM: This is a major transparency violation. Sign up for public comment for the July 15th meeting. Call Treasurer Colleen Aholt’s office at (440) 284-8000 and state: ‘Voting on undisclosed contracts violates the public’s trust. Post the full text of the EEA contract and all student service agreements online immediately or table these votes.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Unknown, potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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| 🚨 HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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Hiding Controversial Spending in a Single Vote
Item J.13 is a motion to approve all of the Superintendent’s items in one bundled vote. This is a classic bureaucratic trick to hide controversial spending. Tucked inside this bundle is the $100,800 Cengage curriculum and multiple secret contracts for ‘student services.’ They are counting on parents not noticing.
Recommended Action Plan
Call Board Vice President Elaine Seguin at (440) 284-8000. Demand that Item J.13 be broken up. ‘I demand that every contract and purchase under the Superintendent’s Action Items, especially J.7, J.2, and J.11, be discussed and voted on separately. Stop hiding these decisions from the public.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Over $100,800 plus unknown contract costs
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| ⚠️ NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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School Hires Another Therapist, Not a Teacher
Under personnel item L.3, the district is hiring another social worker. While sounding helpful, this expands the school’s role as a mental health clinic. This can lead to students being questioned, evaluated, or receiving ‘counseling’ on sensitive topics without parents being fully informed or present.
Recommended Action Plan
Call any board member at (440) 284-8000. Ask: ‘What are the specific protocols for parental notification and consent before a social worker meets with a student? I want to ensure the school is focused on academics, not therapy.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $63,775 annual salary plus benefits
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| ⚠️ NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 5) |
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Paying Teachers Extra to Run Social Emotional Program
Item J.8 approves stipends for teachers to run the ‘WEB’ (Where Everybody Belongs) program. This program, disguised as a simple middle school orientation, is often a delivery system for Social Emotional Learning (SEL). It focuses on shaping student attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, which is the role of a parent, not the school.
Recommended Action Plan
Contact Superintendent Ann Schloss via the district office at (440) 284-8000. Ask: ‘Please provide the full training manual and curriculum for the WEB program being used in our middle schools. Parents have a right to know what values and beliefs are being taught to their children under the banner of ‘mentoring’.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Undisclosed stipend amounts for 6 staff members
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| ⚠️ NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 4) |
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Using Your Tax Dollars for a Political Lobbying Trip
Item F.2 authorizes spending district money to send board members to the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) Capital Conference. The OSBA is a political lobbying group that often works against parental rights legislation in the state capital. This means the board is using your tax dollars to learn how to lobby against your interests.
Recommended Action Plan
Call Board President Michael Gebhardt at (440) 284-8000. Ask: ‘Why are we spending taxpayer money on political lobbying trips? The Board should represent parents, not a Columbus-based lobbying firm. Please vote NO on funding the OSBA conference trip.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: All related expenses for multiple board members
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