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Parents urge action on bullying program; residents press board to reconsider OSBA membership
Summary
Four members of the public addressed the board: a parent requested approval for a jiu-jitsu anti-bullying program for a fourth-grade student, and three residents criticized the board's decision not to renew Ohio School Boards Association membership and called for transparency and reconsideration.
Four members of the public spoke during the public-participation portion of the Feb. 10 meeting, raising bullying concerns and urging the board to reconsider its relationship with the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA).
Melissa Hale, a parent of a Big Walnut Intermediate fourth grader, told the board her son has been bullied since first grade and asked the district to allow a volunteer-run jiu-jitsu program in school gyms that she said requires only staff volunteers and facility access. "Please help us help our son by simply saying yes," she said, urging the board to permit staff to volunteer time and use school space so the program could begin promptly.
Several other speakers addressed the board's recent decision (taken at a prior organizational meeting) not to renew OSBA membership. Linda Wagner, a district resident, said OSBA's communications asked members to oppose a Senate amendment that Wagner described as reducing local autonomy; she urged the board to explain its rationale for leaving OSBA so the public could understand the tradeoffs.
Molly Snodgrass, a parent, called the board’s decision "selfish and short-sighted" and said the district stands to lose monetary benefits tied to OSBA membership — citing district refunds received through OSBA-related workers’-compensation programs ($13,000 in 2023 and over $24,000 in 2024 per her remarks). She asked for public reconsideration and more transparency in the board's process.
Lisa Wheeler, another resident and parent, addressed bullying more broadly and urged parents to teach empathy and model respectful behavior. "By being proactive, empathetic and engaged, we can help our children grow into compassionate individuals who not only reject bullying but actively work creating more inclusive and positive community," she told the board.
Board members did not take immediate action on the OSBA question at the meeting; they directed interested community members to contact district staff (Director Mike Robertson and others) to learn more about existing BridgeEd and Chamber-facilitated employer partnerships and to clarify how a local business advisory council might interact with regional resources.
