Board says it has no official role in Ghana "sister city" initiative amid state audit

The board president read a prepared statement saying the current board and administration have no official capacity, formal agreement or active involvement in any sister city or international educational partnership in Accra, Ghana. "To be perfectly clear, the current board of education and the current administration have no official capacity, no formal agreement, and no active involvement in any sister city or international educational partnership with institutions in Ghana," the president said.

The statement said that any discussions, celebrations or commitments made by individuals — including board members, former administrators or community members — are personal initiatives and "do not carry the endorsement, the authority, or the financial backing of the school district." The board added it will not assume liabilities or obligations from previous leadership while the district is the subject of a state audit.

The president told the audience the district welcomes the audit as a transparency tool and that it would be inappropriate for the board to affirm or expand international programming until the audit is complete. "If and when the audit is completed and if a formal proposal is brought before us that serves the educational interest of our students without legal or financial risk, this board will review it publicly in the light of day," the president said.

The board did not report any existing contracts or funding commitments tied to the Ghana initiative; the statement framed the district's position as one of neutrality and nonparticipation until the audit and any potential findings are publicly reviewed.