The Akron Education Association (AEA), the teachers’ union in Akron, Ohio, has strongly criticised the city’s superintendent, stating that the community “deserves better”. The stance taken by the association comes amid controversy surrounding numerous missing emails from the superintendent’s office.
According to AEA, these emails were deleted from the office computers, inducing a significant level of mistrust among educators within the district. This claim is primarily based on a report by the Beacon Journal, which highlighted that key correspondences from the superintendent were, in fact, missing. In a direct quote from the report, the AEA President, Pat Shipe, was quoted saying, “this leads to a culture of distrust and a feeling that, if you speak out, there could be reprisals”.
The superintendent, whose identity has been kept anonymous for confidentiality reasons, has not yet responded to the allegations. Despite this silence, the city’s school district maintains its commitment to transparency, as stated in a public release. However, the teachers’ union has been unswayed by these proclamations, continuing to question the superintendent’s actions and the school district’s handling of the situation.
The AEA has called for a thorough external investigation into the matter. While the superintendent’s office awaits a judgement on the case, the AEA firmly insists on the goings-on creating an inhospitable environment for teachers in the district.
For more details, visit The Beacon Journal report
Last modified: December 5, 2024
