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Heads up! Our parent watchdogs have scanned the upcoming agenda for Wayne Local. We found 4 items that need your immediate attention before the vote.
| 🚨 HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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Hiding the Money: Raising Spending Limits to Avoid Public Bids
| 📅 Vote Scheduled July 13, 2026 |
The board is voting to change Policy 6325, raising the spending limit for purchases that don’t require a formal, public bidding process from $250,000 to $350,000. This change, buried in a massive policy update on the consent agenda (Item 6.E), makes it easier for the district to award large contracts to vendors for curriculum, software, or consulting without the transparency of a sealed, public bid. This is how controversial data-mining and social-emotional learning (SEL) vendors can get six-figure contracts with minimal oversight.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Email Superintendent Samuel Ison at sison@wayne-local.com and call Board President Darren Amburgy at (513) 897-6971: ‘I demand Item 6.E, specifically the changes to Policy 6325, be pulled from the Consent Agenda for a separate discussion and roll-call vote. Why are you making it easier to spend over a quarter of a million dollars without a formal public bidding process?’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Up to $349,999 per contract without full public bidding.
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| ⚠️ NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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Gagging Teachers: New Policy Funnels All Staff Concerns Through Superintendent
| 📅 Vote Scheduled July 13, 2026 |
Under the guise of a routine policy update (Item 6.E), the board is adopting a new “Board-Staff Communications” policy (0148.1, 3112, 4112). This new rule forces all staff members—teachers, aides, custodians—to submit any communication for the Board of Education through the Superintendent. This creates a bottleneck, giving the Superintendent the power to filter, delay, or reshape information before it reaches the elected officials who are supposed to have oversight. It discourages whistleblowers and prevents the board from hearing the unfiltered truth from the front lines.
Recommended Action Plan
PROTECT WHISTLEBLOWERS: Email Superintendent Samuel Ison at sison@wayne-local.com: ‘Regarding Item 6.E, the new communications policy creates a conflict of interest by making you the sole gatekeeper of information to the board. We ask that this policy be amended to preserve a direct line of communication for staff to the elected board members.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Loss of transparency and direct oversight.
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| ⚠️ NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 5) |
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Artificial Intelligence Policy Lacks Parental Oversight
| 📅 Vote Scheduled July 13, 2026 |
The board is set to approve a new, sweeping policy (7540.09) that formally allows the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the classroom. While the policy talks about data security, it creates a framework for the district to approve and deploy AI tools without a clear, mandatory process for parental review and consent for each specific tool. This could expose children to biased algorithms, inappropriate content, and new forms of data collection without parents ever knowing which AI programs are being used with their kids.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND A SEAT AT THE TABLE: Email Superintendent Samuel Ison at sison@wayne-local.com: ‘Regarding the new AI Policy 7540.09 in Item 6.E, I demand that the policy be amended to include a specific requirement for parental notification and an opt-in consent process before any new AI tool is approved for student use. Parents must have the right to review and approve the technology used with their children.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Student data privacy and exposure to unvetted AI-generated content.
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| ⚠️ NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 4) |
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New Policy Lets Staff Profit from Taxpayer-Funded Purchases
| 📅 Vote Scheduled July 13, 2026 |
Hidden within the policy updates in Item 6.E is a reversal of the district’s ethics rules. New policies (like 6465) will now allow staff to personally keep and use rewards like frequent flyer miles, credit card points, and hotel bonuses that they accumulate while spending taxpayer money on official business. This creates a conflict of interest, incentivizing employees to make purchasing decisions based on personal gain rather than what is most fiscally responsible for the district.
Recommended Action Plan
QUESTION THE MOTIVE: Email Treasurer Carolyn Huber at chuber@waynelocal.net: ‘Regarding the policy changes in Item 6.E allowing staff to keep rewards from district spending, what specific controls will be in place to ensure employees are always choosing the lowest-cost option and not being influenced by personal rewards? This looks like an unnecessary ethical risk.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Potential for inflated travel and purchasing costs.
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