[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6287001,"mediaKeyId","2555489-2c52fe7fded5b32a8ff260246bf8707a","parentId",2555489,"title","Omaha school board approves address-waiver for two commenters, passes consent agenda and moves into closed session","audioSeconds",319,"startMs",4258000,"endMs",4577000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2555489-2c52fe7fded5b32a8ff260246bf8707a&start=4258&end=4577","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2555489-2c52fe7fded5b32a8ff260246bf8707a/thumbnail_4258000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6287001/Nebraska/Omaha-school-board-approves-address-waiver-for-two-commenters-passes-consent-agenda-and-moves-into-closed-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287001-ebcf0b1c9ac71b7a885fba1fa9745fbe/orig.mp4?Expires=1771001768&Signature=oz9i3VnPjhucs7oMCAXGB8dIBcWTv42T-pjl~6TZx1V7TCd71MZ~FbF5t1uceip-9RyozLTqTSOpAB43D3cKLpfuY0q8ZXhiyv81BRTW2qaVcC5tk5ZU95Ti87K0YwUobe7GnoDcr8CkMy0C0God0IuD6I-STO-bNKS-R1AxgFhffrnMZQXi6yzHLTpmVTja5D~E9oruoqI6Se0WW69P08EGEbCPw6uUYBEc-nAMxH6oO2y9D54MFMVPynfkHERsEKHHD54W72sGHgP0SslgRLX-neBfyZQrdbNvu364L54ii5P9MklqPSVSYGRmR9nXeVGWDGKcboKI44mQi25vIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Omaha Public Schools, NE","date","2025-03-11T12:40:05Z","article","The Omaha Public Schools Board of Education voted on several procedural motions during its March 24 meeting.

The board voted to waive the statutory requirement that two public-comment speakers provide addresses at the podium so their addresses would not be publicly stated. Vice President Snipes moved the waiver; Ms. Kratke seconded the motion. A roll-call vote recorded Kratke (Aye), Magnuson (Aye), Smith (Aye), Snipes (Aye), Thielen (No), Almanza (Aye), Hardenberger (Aye), Bull (Aye), Coleman (Aye) and Adai (Aye). The motion carried.

The board then approved the consent agenda. The motion to approve the consent agenda was moved by Mr. Smith and seconded by Ms. Kratke; a roll call recorded a majority of ayes and the motion passed.

Later in the meeting, the board voted to enter closed session for “the protection of the public interest and for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of individuals” to receive legal advice and discuss pending litigation with the superintendent, the secretary to the board, chief of staff Charles Wakefield and legal counsel. The motion to move into closed session was made by Ms. Snipes and seconded; roll-call votes were recorded and the board entered closed session at 7:17 p.m. The board returned from closed session at 7:29 p.m. and adjourned.

No formal votes on policy changes or material removals were taken during the meeting; the motions recorded were procedural and related to meeting process and consent-agenda business.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Omaha Public Schools Board of Education Meeting 3-10-2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the March 24 meeting the Omaha Public Schools Board voted to waive the requirement that two public-comment speakers provide addresses, approved the consent agenda and voted to hold a closed session for legal advice and pending litigation.","taxTitle","OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, School Districts, Nebraska","taxId",13054,"location","Nebraska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6287006,"Mars Middle and Bryan High students to represent Omaha Public Schools at national African American History Challenge",949,1048000,1997000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2555489-2c52fe7fded5b32a8ff260246bf8707a&start=1048&end=1997","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2555489-2c52fe7fded5b32a8ff260246bf8707a/thumbnail_1048000.jpg","/articles/6287006/Nebraska/Mars-Middle-and-Bryan-High-students-to-represent-Omaha-Public-Schools-at-national-African-American-History-Challenge","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287006-836330fba9c33943355e6d89aecd0f27/orig.mp4?Expires=1771001768&Signature=l-CKz~VSmbRh7FjuqMxoJhOeVMPGgUsFR~6SA-mpxgumYZon1hK77nBRVMPAMzNysv8kE2N0WOGPp7o5FCYxBKt01JKHoVz2OTcgpUvz53g1heumLPeoMiEiYk2EmE3OksQBo7AnHf2r1~Bi1MNqJ32IVkpwtl1Sgdh08jHut~mcbcpW0z5WYsqkgWFv~P~DrdkY55XP521ooMMQXoKjiHQJw1x7ErUL8ZbVttATgCMmWb-Q4mhOniiYiN993qNLQXpY1m-wV~Asyx-BljeaZD2JeKw69rJ0uS1TnxSUhxE5dChpO-EEp-vsb0iyZ3OnG1yqcrRDXRV4A7ac1LhbDA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Students from Mars Middle School and Bryan High School were recognized by the Omaha Public Schools Board of Education on March 24 for winning their state African American History Challenge competitions and advancing to the national contest in New Orleans.

Kevin Madsen, a teacher who coaches Bryant’s team, said the program has grown over the last decade and praised the students’ commitment. “We’ve come from only having one member and not answering a question… and now we’ve won it back to back,” Madsen said.

Henry Gregor, a freshman from Bryan High School, told the board the competition helped him “do what I love to do the most, which is studying history,” and credited Deborah Woods, the district liaison with the 100 Black Men of Omaha, for supporting the teams.

Board members asked about preparation and the competition’s impacts on younger students. Dr. Holman asked how the teams studied; students described after-school sessions, weekend study and work on team collaboration. Ms. Magnuson asked students to share a memorable fact; one student noted that several Tuskegee Airmen were from Omaha, which became a meaningful local connection.

The board and superintendent congratulated the teams and thanked teachers and community partners. The district confirmed the national competition dates as June 4–8 in New Orleans.","Students from Mars Middle School and Bryan High School won state-level competition and will compete June 4–8 in New Orleans. Board members and the district praised the teams and their coaches during a school-spotlight presentation.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6287011,"Parents, clinicians and students urge Omaha Public Schools to remove sexually explicit materials from school collections",902,2877000,3779000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2555489-2c52fe7fded5b32a8ff260246bf8707a&start=2877&end=3779","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2555489-2c52fe7fded5b32a8ff260246bf8707a/thumbnail_2877000.jpg","/articles/6287011/Nebraska/Parents-clinicians-and-students-urge-Omaha-Public-Schools-to-remove-sexually-explicit-materials-from-school-collections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287011-15500e76617a51f6cca1a364337cef66/orig.mp4?Expires=1771001768&Signature=G7i2bYYYtpVf495klN2KsGJxkmZkG2dOxZ1OzJ2o9kKhTyaGXRwa~pDtYcUoKp6bPRtffaaOswwAHJxVc8C71qQ4c4wNPb0WQNmLqn3SEc54PikDI0WLLDpsiix4chbjVBJ5TXzYdQfQ5XTGSKacrg16Zz5Hx0q4tBKD7YdM1he2dGM37Kt5ijOiXs1BqWNjx6~ZbWxWID0r3Ikz8Jv7S~q8uIxtUeALBh4IUw8rgVT7ymXqRF4i3UlTyGjQJqZyQKaUchwtaxImhIh020cIHUddM6PAhcWxehljMpx3bFGDPuNonPxtyPz14jZGcf~pGKytsQdAiuWtXl9iQk~pSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several parents, a clinical psychologist and current and former students told the Omaha Public Schools Board of Education on March 24 that sexually explicit books and classroom materials are harming children and asked the district to remove or more tightly screen those materials.

Josh Cahill, a parent who spoke during the public-comment period, said his son has been assaulted multiple times at a district school. “My son was actually accosted again for the fourth time in an OPS restroom less than 2 weeks ago,” Cahill said. He added that the district’s prior responses left his family “less than acceptable.”

Clinical psychologist Linda Vermooten told the board she treats children and adults with histories of sexual abuse and said exposing children to explicit content can change how they view themselves and others. “When you take this kind of explicit material and you put it on a child, what happens? They cannot handle it,” Vermooten said, arguing that some library and classroom materials go beyond what children can emotionally manage.

Several other speakers described their personal experiences and urged action. Mikaela Khazor, who said she first encountered sexual material in a teacher’s classroom in second grade, told the board that early exposure contributed to anxiety and other harms. “When I was in second grade, it was the first time I was ever exposed to sexual material…in a school library,” Khazor said. Community worker Michelle Rogers named a book she said remains on shelves at Bryan Middle School, identified by her as Haunted, and said it contains “sexual activities, graphic violence, including gore…abortion, drug and alcohol abuse, self harming.” She urged the board to remove the title from school collections.

Speakers asked the board to clarify how parents can learn which books are in classrooms and libraries and requested more transparent review processes. Doctor LaDonna Griffin and Leo Lewis, both community organizers, described local efforts to connect parents and teachers and offered community resources tied to family engagement and discipline.

Board procedure during the meeting limited each speaker to five minutes under policy 83-46 and the board granted two speakers a waiver of the requirement to state their addresses for security reasons. The board did not take formal action to remove books or change district policy during the March 24 meeting.

The topic drew repeated, emotional testimony but no staff presentation or board motion to change library or curriculum materials was recorded in the minutes for this meeting. Board members did not debate or vote on book removals at the session; public-comment speakers were told how to submit written materials to the board secretary if they wanted further consideration.

The board’s next regular meeting and any follow-up materials review would be posted on the district website, ops.org, and the district’s public records office, as noted in opening remarks.","Six speakers during public comment told the Omaha Public Schools board that sexually explicit books and classroom materials are harming students and asked the district to remove specific titles and review library and classroom screening practices. The board did not take formal action during the meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Omaha school board approves address-waiver for two commenters, passes consent agenda and moves into closed session

Mars Middle and Bryan High students to represent Omaha Public Schools at national African American History Challenge

Parents, clinicians and students urge Omaha Public Schools to remove sexually explicit materials from school collections