Teachers’ union announces no-confidence vote in board member; students, staff press for transparency

The Riverside Local Education Association (RLEA) announced a vote of no confidence in board member Denise Brewster during public comments at the Riverside Local School District special meeting. The RLEA representative said the association no longer trusts or supports Brewster, urging her to resign so the district can move forward with leadership aligned with community and student interests.

Staff and students echoed the RLEA’s concerns. Michelle Wolesky, speaking as a district employee and military spouse, described social media attacks against a U.S. Marine Corps veteran connected to the school and called them 'reprehensible,' urging board members to 'lead with honor, courage, and commitment.' Coach and teacher Jeremy Ishmael criticized the 'outgoing majority' for what he said were actions against Superintendent Dr. Chris Rotino and urged reinstatement. Student Hunter Russell cited the Ohio sunshine law, saying a meeting had been posted with less than 24 hours’ notice and asked the board to disclose the identity and local ties of an unnamed investor tied to a recent contract vote.

Why it matters: The RLEA’s public vote of no confidence formalizes significant opposition from educators; students and staff raised concerns about transparency, meeting timing, and potential board governance decisions affecting staff, programming and budgetary priorities.

Details and board process: Multiple public commenters described layoffs, loss of extracurricular funding and scheduling of special meetings at times difficult for public participation (examples cited: the day before Thanksgiving and daytime meetings). The RLEA speaker said the union's vote followed a pattern of actions they characterized as harmful to school functioning and community trust. Board members maintained meeting procedures (the board president had earlier announced rules limiting public comment to three minutes and up to four speakers). No board action on the RLEA vote was taken during the meeting; the announcement was recorded as public comment.

Next steps: The RLEA said resignation would be the responsible step for the board member named; the board did not respond with a formal motion or vote on that request during the session. The record indicates the concerns will remain part of the public record and available for future board consideration.