Public commentator alleges problems in Native American parent advisory group after new appointment; board acknowledges follow-up

A public commenter told the Wichita Board of Education on Sept. 8 that documents obtained in a court review raised concerns about the selection of the district's new Native American education program director and alleged irregularities related to the Native American Parent Advisory Committee (NAPAC).

Patrick Murphy, who identified himself during the meeting as a resident, said documents obtained via a court request were under review by federal authorities and that the newly appointed Native American program director'whom administration announced earlier in the meeting'was among those named in the materials. Murphy said parents and community members experienced intimidation and that committee elections had been improperly influenced; he called the appointment inappropriate and said it threatened trust between the district and Native families.

Administration earlier in the meeting introduced Veronica Gillette as the district's new Native American Indian education program specialist; Susan Willis, the district's interim chief human resources officer, announced Gillette's hiring and said Gillette had 13 years'experience with the district'including work as a parent involvement worker.

The board did not take formal action on the allegations during the meeting. Board leadership responded to the public comment by saying there would be follow-up; no specific follow-up date was provided in the meeting transcript.

What this report does and does not say: The claims about a federal review and court records come from a public comment and were described by the speaker as information he provided to the board; the board did not adjudicate the claims during the meeting. The district announced an official appointment for the Native American program specialist earlier in the agenda.