At least three members of the GHAPS school board, Chris Streng, Christine Baker, and Nicol Stack, support the mission of the Anti-Racism Task Force at the Momentum Center. The Anti-Racism Task Force at the Momentum Center works to create anti-racist activists out of Grand Haven citizens.
In January 2021 GHAPS Director of Instructional Services Mary Jane Evink, who had been eagerly directed by former Superintendent Andy Ingall, to work with the Anti-Racism Task Force at the Momentum Center, supplied Barbara Lee Van Horssen with the email address for all GHAPS school board members. (sorry about the image quality of this one)
Later in October 2021, Barbara Lee VanHorssen from the Anti-Racism Task Force, sent an email to her allies at GHAPS offering her support.
With this email as evidence, it can only be assumed that these three school board members were in support of the work Director of Instructional Services Mary Jane Evink, and Director of Technology Brian Wheeler were doing with the Momentum Center. This ongoing work was and still is a violation of board policy 1130 Conflict of Interest.
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.”
1130-A-4 “Employees, officers, and agents shall not engage in business, private practice of their profession, the rendering of services, or the sale of goods of any type where advantage is taken of any professional relationship they may have with any student, client, or parents of such students or clients in the course of their employment or professional relationship with the School District.”
1130-F “Employees, officers and agents found to be in violation of this conflict of interest policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination, as permitted by applicable Board policy.”
The assistance of both Brian Wheeler and Mary Jane Evink benefit the Momentum Center. They are not random citizens volunteering for the Momentum Center, but GHAPS employees holding key positions who were specifically designated. GHAPS school board members are also key members and not random citizen volunteers. This is a clear policy violation and these GHAPS employees and board members as well as any other GHAPS employees who violated the policy must be held accountable.