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Superintendent defends school board as town‑hall erupts over calls for resignations and charter change process
Summary
At a Franklin City town hall, residents pressed council on the school board’s accountability and potential charter changes; Superintendent Dr. Carter said the board communicates in writing, invited the public to a board meeting and urged council to present evidence if allegations exist.
Tensions between Franklin City’s elected officials and the appointed school board surfaced at a town‑hall meeting, as residents demanded answers about school governance and some council members publicly urged changes.
Don Benjamin and several other residents asked whether the city council was pursuing a charter amendment to increase oversight of the school board. Councilmembers described charter changes as a multistep legislative process that would need to be included in the city’s legislative package and approved by delegates and the General Assembly—an effort that would take months.
Representing the school system, Dr. Carter addressed the council and the public, invited the community to a school‑board meeting on April 3 with a 30‑minute Q&A, and disputed claims his office was unresponsive. “The school board has clearly communicated in writing why the joint meeting could not proceed as planned,” he said, and added that the board bases decisions on a five‑year strategic plan and professional development rather than “emotions” or popularity.
Dr. Carter pushed back against calls for the board’s resignation and asked council and citizens to produce evidence if they believed wrongdoing had occurred. “If there is evidence, I urge you to share it with the school board and the citizens of Franklin,” he said. He also asked council to reappoint two seats scheduled to expire June 30 if no evidence exists.
A heated exchange followed when a speaker accused Dr. Carter of cowardice and several council members moved to restore order. Council leadership repeatedly reminded the room that personal attacks would not be called for and reiterated their role: the school board is autonomous under state law and the council’s authority to remove members is limited absent charter change or other statutory means.
Councilmembers and residents debated alternatives, including pursuing elected school board seats (via petition or charter change) and improving communication frequency between council and the school board. Several residents said governance disputes risk teacher retention and student outcomes; others urged the public to attend school‑board meetings and participate in appointment processes.
What’s next: Dr. Carter invited citizens and council to attend the April 3 school‑board meeting; council announced openings for appointed school‑board seats with an application deadline (announced later in the meeting) and discussed the mechanics of any charter‑change proposal.
