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Parents and advocates press Cincinnati School Board for investigation into Fairview Clifton discipline data
Summary
Dozens of public commenters told the Cincinnati School Board on June 22 that discipline practices at Fairview Clifton show racial and disability disparities they say require a transparent, formal investigation and an action plan; the district says it will review the concerns.
Dozens of parents, teachers and community advocates urged the Cincinnati School Board on June 22 to investigate alleged discipline disparities at Fairview Clifton School, citing incomplete data, inconsistent enforcement of policies and what some described as retaliation.
Speakers at the board’s hearing of the public said the district provided disaggregated discipline data only after repeated requests and that families and committees at the school were denied meeting minutes and sufficient explanation. "We demand complete transparency," Jennifer Miley, chair of the Cincinnati NAACP Education Committee, told the board, adding that the NAACP has received multiple complaints this year and expects an action plan that stakeholders can monitor.
Parents described specific cases. Chelsea O'Neal, a Fairview parent, said her 8‑year‑old son received an out‑of‑school suspension after a playground incident and that video she reviewed did not support the principal’s description. "If the evidence is unclear, why was an 8‑year‑old with no prior incidents subjected to one of the most severe disciplinary consequences available?" O'Neal asked.
Several speakers alleged patterns affecting Black students and students with disabilities. "Black students receive a disproportionate number of office referrals compared with white peers," one community advocate said, calling for trauma‑informed training and clearer policies. Parents requested the board form a task force, provide the requested data to Local School Decision‑Making Committees (LSDMCs) and publicly clarify when and how alternative learning centers or other supports were changed or removed at Fairview.
A district partner who identified himself as Christian Davis of the Cincinnati Parent Empowerment Network asked administrators to "walk into the space" with families to be solution‑oriented and urged the board to schedule direct meetings between parents and leadership.
Not all comments were critical of Fairview staff. Lesley Mooney, a longtime parent volunteer, called Fairview teachers "hardworking and caring," while emphasizing that families are raising concerns about patterns, not isolated incidents, and need the board’s oversight.
Clayton Adams, vice president of organizing for the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, said educators and support staff deserve respectful dialogue and warned against using a future levy as a bargaining lever: "A levy should never be used as leverage in a policy disagreement," he said, urging inclusion of teachers in strategic planning.
Superintendent Murphy and other administrators did not issue final findings during the meeting but the board and administration acknowledged the public complaints and the need for additional review. The NAACP and parents asked for an immediate, transparent investigation, access to requested documents and a plan those stakeholders can monitor.
What happens next: parents and advocates said they expect the board and administration to schedule follow‑up meetings, provide the disputed discipline data and clarify policies and remedies. The board signaled it would take the concerns under advisement while other district business continued that evening.
