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Parents and community leaders press board for transparent hiring data and a Black Student Achievement resolution
Summary
Speakers told trustees they want earlier public engagement on initiatives, clearer reporting on teacher credentials after a sample showed most recent hires lacked active licenses, and a formal resolution committing the board to measurable goals for Black student outcomes.
Several members of the public urged the South Bend board to adopt more transparent hiring practices and to pass a formal resolution establishing a Black Student Achievement Strategic Plan.
"The families most affected by these decisions should not learn about them after they are developed," Tianna Batiste Wadell told trustees, and she asked the board to "adopt a resolution establishing a Black student achievement strategic plan and demonstrate that equity is not simply a statement of values, but a commitment to measurable results." She said a district review of 10 recent certified hires showed only two appeared to hold active teaching licenses as of Aug. 3, 2026 and asked the board to clarify how "certified" is being defined.
Aletha Jones told the board the Black community "has waited far too long for real change" and supported a resolution that would secure a sustained voice in planning and decision-making. Board members acknowledged the request and said they would take up policy and implementation details at the second reading scheduled Aug. 17.
The public commenters tied their request to long-standing disparities documented by the Repertory Justice Commission and to obligations under a federal consent decree, and they asked the board to pair any strategic plan with timelines, measurable goals and public progress reports.
