Saturday, April 08, 2000
Parents rally fight over board
BY PHILLIP PINA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SPRINGBORO — Parents upset with school leaders are taking a petition drive seeking their resignations to the streets.
Nearly a dozen stands will be set up across the district today to rally opposition to the Springboro school board. Information on school leaders will be provided.
“There is dissension in the district,” said Christine Iaconis, mother of a Springboro student.
Within the past month, three key administrators — including nine-year superintendent Gary Meier — have quit. Parents groups have filled school board meetings with loud protests.
They are upset with recent board decisions and blame them for the recent departures.
The target of much of their criticism is Board President Cindy Garland, elected this past fall, and members Bruce Blume and Gary Ihle.
“We are asking for their resignations and we want to show them that we are the majority,” Ms. Iaconis said.
To date, Ms. Iaconis and other parents have gathered about 2,000 petition signatures. The goal is to get 3,500, 31 more than the number of votes Ms. Garland got in the November election. The parents plan to use the information stands to gather more supporters.
Ms. Garland has refused to comment. Mr. Blume and Mr. Ihle could not be reached.
Mr. Ihle has said there have been concerns about the “divisive” nature of the relationship between the school board and Mr. Meier.
Board member Diane Trifi ro, who has opposed the board majority on a number of issues, said she is staying out of the petition fray. Instead, she is focusing on getting on with district business and the search for three new administrators.
“We are just trying to look ahead,” she said.
What they are looking at is entering the final weeks of the 1999-2000 school year without the superintendent and treasurer they started it with. Joe DeLuca, director of human relations, will leave May 1 after accepting the superintendent's post at Eaton Schools in Preble County.
“It's a domino effect. When is the last one going to fall?” Ms. Iaconis asked.
Ms. Iaconis and many other parents raising a fuss in Springboro are members of the Save Our Schools campaign, which fought to pass district levies in the past. A petition for a recall of the November election that put Ms. Garland on the school board was considered, but the parents opted to collect signatures encouraging the board majority's resignation.
The reason was that most recall efforts are not successful, Ms. Iaconis said. Instead, she said the parents want Ms. Garland and other members of the board to either resign or understand the community's viewpoint on issues.
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