AKRON — The Akron Education Association has filed a lawsuit in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas against the Akron Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Michael Robinson and the entire Akron Public Schools Board of Education.
The teacher's union is demanding transparency from the board of education and superintendent after it alleges it violated Ohio meeting laws.
The suit was filed on Monday, Jan. 22. It alleges the board improperly used an executive session to discuss entering a contract with Varsity Tutors LLC and then edited the public meeting video.
"It was a secret behind-closed-doors meeting, and then they immediately left the executive session and voted on that without any public discussion," said Don Malarcik, legal counsel, Akron Education Association.
After the executive session on January 8, back, the board moved to vote on the Varsity Tutors contract. When board member Dr. Rene Molenaur begins to discuss the idea of that contract, the video cuts to the board voting on the contract.
"It magically starts buffering right when that exchange occurred, and then all of a sudden, it corrects itself the second that they take the vote. We believe that is just not a believable story," said Pat Shipe, President of the Akron Education Association.
"This board altered that video to make their actions look justified. To avoid transparency, to avoid accountability and we had to file this lawsuit to bring that to light," said Malarcik.
On Wednesday, the district declined to comment on the editing allegations made in the lawsuit.
At the January 8 board meeting, the board of education approved a $156,000 contract with Varsity Tutors. The company is based out of St. Louis and provides online tutoring.
"Any of our educators can tutor students and provide that instruction," said Shipe.
Akron Public Schools parent Kristyn Stewart said an online tutor would be a challenge for her daughter.
"I have a third grader right now, so she'll be going into the fourth grade, and she has struggles. Kids are kids, you're going to be online, they're going to be doing something else, not paying attention, you need hands-on, we definitely need to go back to more hands-on things," said Stewart.
The lawsuit seeks to end the contract with Varsity Tutors. The Akron Education Association said parents, teachers, and students deserve honesty in the process.
"A little angry because the teachers are on the front lines, and they're looking out for these kids, and they know exactly what they need. They know their students and their classrooms. Their opinions count, and they shouldn't be doctoring it to look otherwise," said Stewart.
"We thought it was important for the public to know exactly where their funds are being spent and why they're being spent," said Malarcik.
News 5 reached out to all the board of education members. Job Perry is the only member who responded and declined the comment.
Akron Public Schools said it will let the legal process play out.
