In early March 2022 after board member Christine Baker announced she would be running for a Democratic Michigan House Representative seat, she was endorsed by board members Carl Treutler and Nicol Stack, Superintendent Scott Grimes, and Assistant Superintendent Jason Reinecke on school property at a public meeting of the Grand Haven Board of Education. She was endorsed in a similar fashion at a different school board meeting one day earlier.
While it is natural for colleagues to support each other, this is a violation of Board Policy po 3231 Outside Activities of Staff states:
“Staff members shall not campaign on school property during duty hours on behalf of any political issue or candidate for local, State, or National office.”
Although a minor violation, this was not the first time this policy was violated.
On September 5, 2021, three days after John Siemion’s resignation from the GHAPS school board, the Curriculum Director was colluding with local activists to influence the selection of the next Grand Haven School Board member. They created a plan that involved emailing board members, writing letters to the local newspaper editor, and emailing potential candidates who supported their Diversity, Inclusion and Equity agenda, asking them to run for the vacancy.
Please read this email exchange that is presented in reverse chronological order.
Ultimately their efforts were successful. Board member Marc Eikholt, a member of the GHAPS Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging Committee, was selected to serve on the board. Four people were interviewed by the remaining board members to fill the vacant seat. Following the interviews, the board counted their applicant score card points in an inconsistent and odd manner which resulted in an ally being selected for the board.
According to Board Policy po0142.5 Vacancies, A. “The Board shall seek qualified and interested candidates from the community through the news media, word of mouth, and contacts with appropriate organizations.”
It may be argued that the email exchange above falls under seeking qualified candidates via “word of mouth.” However, the email exchange above shows a coordinated effort by a GHAPS employee and outside entities to seek a candidate that would be an ally.
Not only did this action violate Board Policy po 3231 Outside Activities of Staff, and Board Policy po0142.5 Vacancies, it was also a violation of 1130 Conflict of Interest which states:
“1130 – A – 2. No staff member, officer, or agent shall use his/her position to benefit either himself/herself or any other individual or agency apart from the total interest of the School District.”
When the GHAPS Curriculum Director leaped into action seeking new school board candidates, whose interests did this serve? Was it done for the benefit of GHAPS? Did she spread the word in an impartial fashion so that all interested community members would know about an open board seat? Or were her efforts focused on finding someone sympathetic to her views?
This is unacceptable. It is the responsibility of the community to elect the School Board and it is the responsibility of the school board to fill vacancies in an unbiased manner. It is not the job of the curriculum director to use her political connections to influence the selection of a school board vacancy.