Residents press board on curriculum transparency and meeting practices; member moves to pursue censure
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Summary
Public commenters urged Cleveland County Schools to teach an accurate, unfiltered American history and raised open-meetings concerns about a proposed Marion School sale; a board member introduced a motion asking the district attorney to prepare censure documents for a colleague who spoke with the media.
Several Cleveland County residents used the meeting’s public-comment period on Jan. 7 to press the board on curriculum transparency and the district’s public-meeting practices, and a board member moved that the attorney draft a censure action related to a colleague’s media contact.
Rob Powell, a retired public high school history teacher and Cleveland County resident, urged the board to ensure the district teaches a "full and accurate history aligned to state standards without political filtering," saying that skipping difficult topics like slavery, Jim Crow and redlining is "cheating" students of civic understanding. Powell asked the board to publish course materials and convene a public forum on curriculum and academic freedom.
Jenny Ross read an excerpt she said was from North Carolina open-meetings law and told the board she believes members met in small groups to deliberate about Marion School in a way that avoided public notice and minutes. "That is exactly what happened here last week," she said in public comment, and she asked the board not to put a possible Marion School sale back on the agenda until any promised restrictions or conditions are provided to the public.
During board comments following public participation, a board member referenced prior censures and said a board member had gone to the media; that member moved that the board ask the attorney to prepare documentation to pursue censure. The member said the board can address the matter in closed session or open session. The transcript records the motion to direct the attorney to draft censure materials; it does not show a final censure vote or any subsequent disciplinary action within the meeting record.
Another public commenter, Lakeisha Phillips, a special-education educator, asked the board to give special-education teachers "grace" and support because of the emotional demands of their work.
The board did not resolve the open-meetings allegation in the meeting; public speakers sought records and clearer public notice on the Marion School discussions and other committee deliberations.