Carmel board and teachers union spar over newsletter, trustees accuse leadership of misleading the district

Trustee John Curzio used the board table on May 27 to publicly challenge the Carmel Teachers Association's account of a March peaceful walk‑in, saying union leadership told the board the protest would be strictly on public sidewalks and not on school grounds and that those assurances proved inaccurate. "When deliberate mistruths are told to us at these meetings, which then result in the school district sharing inaccurate information with the community, it creates distrust," Curzio said, adding that he believed the union "intentionally misled the board."

In response, the CTA president read a written president's report into the record that criticized the board's conduct and blamed a pattern of board infighting and micromanagement for rapid superintendent turnover. The union statement said the district had become "toxic" and urged union members to turn out for the upcoming board election and budget vote. "We were proud to join with people across the country in a show of unity and purpose," the president's report said, adding that union leadership would encourage members to vote for a budget that protects student services.

Trustees and other board members debated whether it was appropriate to discuss an internal union newsletter in open session and whether the newsletter had been distributed outside union membership. Vice President Dahl and other trustees cautioned against assuming intentional deception without clearer evidence; Dahl said it was difficult to conclude intent based solely on the materials available. Board President offered to pursue a meeting with union leadership as an "olive branch" and asked both sides to reflect on accuracy and tone.

The exchange followed a liaison meeting between board representatives and union leaders earlier this year. Trustee Curzio said the liaison meeting was the right forum for candid communication and that the newsletter's public criticism undermined trust. Several trustees said committee minutes and any reported data should be accompanied by full supporting details so the public can understand context.

No formal board action resulted from the discussion. Trustees asked the superintendent and staff to ensure that any committee or liaison reports presented publicly include sufficient data and context, and the board encouraged dialogue with union leadership ahead of the fall election cycle.