Charter school director and LGBTQ advocate press Columbus board over transportation and student naming policy

Two public commenters used the board’s allotted three minutes to raise procedural and student‑rights concerns.

Sarah Silver, who identified herself as "the transportation director for a local charter school," told the board that many families recently received notices declaring students "impractical to transport" even though parents had not yet applied for 2025–26 transportation. "The mediations requested at the beginning of the year did not begin taking place until 11 days ago," she said, and added that families waited without transportation even though, she said, the law requires transportation until mediation concludes. Silver urged the board to consider the equity implications of transportation reductions, saying families should not be forced out of charter schools because of transport shortfalls.

Curtis Peace, speaking for the Ohio Coalition to Protect Trans Lives, marked Pride Month by recounting the historical harms of forced outings and said the district had recently reverted students’ chosen names to their birth names in its system. "Reverse your dead naming policy and commit to non‑compliance with unjust and transphobic legislation," he told the board. His comments drew audience applause; no administrative policy reversal was made during the meeting.

President Cole and administration offered to have staff speak further with Silver to clarify details and follow up after the meeting. Neither public comment prompted immediate changes to board policy during the session; both items raised topics the board and administration said they would address through follow‑up conversations and committee work.