Parents call for investigation or sanction after trustee’s social-media post; trustee defends private speech

Several parents and community members used the public-comment period to criticize Trustee Barb Annas for a personal social-media post that drew attention in the community and to urge board review or sanction.

Michelle Manhire, who identified herself as a district parent, said she lacked trust in a trustee and asked the board to investigate a post about a recent murder that had been circulated by others online. "Please accept this as my complaint and investigate this matter in a timely fashion," Manhire said, adding that she feared complaints routed only to the board president would not receive full-board consideration.

Trustee Barb Annas addressed the board and the public in response. Annas said her private social-media posts were not connected to her role as a trustee and said she did not condone gun violence. "Nothing I shared on my private account was connected to my role as a school board trustee," she said, and noted she had written that no debate should ever result in someone's death.

Catherine Agarwal read prepared remarks urging Annas to resign or for the board to issue a public sanction. Agarwal described the post as "inflammatory and a political attack made just days after he was murdered," and said elected officials "do not get to turn off their responsibilities when logging on to social media."

The board did not take formal disciplinary action during the meeting. The public comments focused on whether Annas' private social-media remarks reflected on the district and whether the district's complaint process provides an equitable path for review.