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Community demands removal of trustee after public posts; board splits on complaint handling
Summary
Hundreds of residents, teachers and students called on the Cheboygan Area Schools board to remove or restrict Trustee Travis Neville over public statements they say demean teachers and students; supporters of Board President Julie Lo urged the board to uphold a prior disclaimer resolution and protect students.
Hundreds of residents, teachers and students filled the Cheboygan Area Schools board meeting on March 23, 2026, to press the board on handling a complaint against Trustee Travis Neville, whose public posts and podcast comments were read aloud and described by commenters as sexist and demeaning.
Speakers across the comment period — including Heather Lake, president of the teachers’ association, multiple students and former district staff — said Neville’s public statements undermine trust, hurt staff recruitment and create an unsafe climate for students. "The association calls on Trustee Neville to resign," Heather Lake told the board, urging the district to stand by a prior disclaimer resolution that disavowed the trustee’s statements.
Students and teachers described excerpts from Neville’s blog and social posts, saying the language used made students feel degraded and raised concerns about his suitability for roles that provide access to minors. Student Lily Schaws said she was "deeply disgusted and horrified" by the statements and asked the board whether this was the leadership she wanted for the district.
Supporters of Board President Julie Lo said she acted within board policy when the board unanimously approved a disclaimer at a March 2 special meeting and when the president and superintendent limited the trustee’s extracurricular access pending review. "The decision to restrict his coaching and student access was a necessary step to restoring this district," a speaker who identified as a former superintendent said.
During the meeting a member moved to table further decisions pending selection of a third‑party investigator; that motion failed for lack of support. An alternate motion to dismiss the complaint was made, seconded and put to a voice/roll call vote; the vote produced a mix of responses that the board read aloud during the meeting. The transcript shows board members voiced both support and opposition during the roll call and the chair moved the agenda forward.
Public commenters repeatedly urged the board to prioritize student safety and said that if the board failed to act, families and staff would consider other districts. Several speakers said they had documentary evidence (screenshots and links) to support claims about the trustee’s public posts and asked the board to use that evidence in any investigation.
The board did not take additional public disciplinary action during the meeting; speakers and board members said the next steps include possible investigator selection and that public records and minutes would document follow‑up. The board president thanked the public for attending and asked the board to move on to remaining business.
The public comment period was notable for its length and breadth: multiple union leaders, current and former teachers, parents and students all urged the board to protect the district’s stated strategic goal of providing a safe, inclusive environment.
