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Heads up! Our parent watchdogs have scanned the upcoming agenda for Youngstown City. We found 6 items that need your immediate attention before the vote.
| 🚨 HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 10) |
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District Renews ‘Coordinator of Culture and Climate’ Position
Buried in the personnel report (Item G.5), the board is renewing a two-year contract for a ‘Coordinator of Culture and Climate.’ This is an administrative position dedicated to implementing controversial social agendas like DEI and ‘Restorative Practices’ that often replace traditional discipline with political ideology and undermine parental authority on sensitive social topics.
Recommended Action Plan
PACK THE ROOM: This is a vote on a core ideological position. Call Board President Juanita Walker at (330) 744-6900 and email Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor at jeremy.batchelor@youngstown.k12.oh.us: ‘Pull the renewal for the Coordinator of Culture and Climate from the consent agenda. Taxpayer money should fund academics, not social engineering.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Full-time administrative salary (A16, Step B1) for two years.
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| 🚨 HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 9) |
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Quarter-Million Dollar Contract for Social-Emotional Engineering
Under Item H.1, the board plans to approve a $247,500 contract with the ‘Successful Practices Network,’ an outside consulting group that promotes ‘Social Emotional Learning’ (SEL). This is a classic bait-and-switch, using federal Title I funds meant for academics to purchase training that focuses on student attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors instead of core subjects like reading and math.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Email Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor at jeremy.batchelor@youngstown.k12.oh.us: ‘I demand the $247,500 contract with Successful Practices Network be pulled from the Consent Agenda for a separate discussion and vote. What specific materials will they provide and how can parents review them before purchase?’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $247,500 (Federal Title I Strings-Attached Money)
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| 🚨 HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 9) |
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Hiding the Details on a $6.7 Million Contract
The board is set to approve a massive $6,759,295 blanket purchase order for ‘Peterman Transportation’ (Item H.4) as part of a bundled consent vote. There is no contract or supporting documentation attached to the agenda, preventing any public review of the terms. This is a severe lack of transparency for one of the largest financial commitments the district will make.
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $6,759,295
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| ⚠️ NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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Secret Changes to the Superintendent’s Contract
Item H.7 on the consent agenda is an ‘Amendment to Superintendent J. Batchelor’s contract.’ However, the district has failed to attach the amendment itself. Parents and taxpayers have no way of knowing what changes are being made—is it a pay raise, a bonus, or altered responsibilities? Voting on this without public disclosure is a major transparency violation.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Call Board President Juanita Walker at (330) 744-6900. ‘The Superintendent’s contract amendment (Item H.7) must be made public and pulled from the consent agenda for a separate discussion. The public has a right to know the terms of employment for the district’s highest-paid employee.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Undisclosed
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| ⚠️ NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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New ‘Parent Engagement’ Job Could Open Door to Home Surveillance
The district is hiring a ‘Parent Engagement Coordinator’ (Item G.5). While the title sounds harmless, these positions are often used to push the district’s agenda directly to families, gather data on home environments, and promote programs that parents might otherwise question. This role can blur the line between school support and family surveillance.
Recommended Action Plan
ASK QUESTIONS: Email Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor at jeremy.batchelor@youngstown.k12.oh.us: ‘Regarding the new Parent Engagement Coordinator position, please provide a full job description. Will this role involve home visits, and what specific data will be collected on families?’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Salary of $15.00 per hour
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| ⚠️ NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 3) |
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Vague Spending Approvals Require Manual Review
Item H.3 asks the board to approve ‘Blanket Purchase orders for FY27.’ While a file is attached, the vague title forces parents to manually search through a spreadsheet to understand what they are approving. This practice makes it difficult for busy parents to track district spending effectively.
Recommended Action Plan
INVESTIGATE: Review the file attached in the Official Agenda linked above to determine if it contains sensitive policy changes.
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Undisclosed in agenda title
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