Steve Keenan penned a letter to Akron Public Schools’ Board President Diana Autry in late November raising his concerns about the superintendent’s restructuring of the Facilities Services department.
As its director, Keenan wrote that he believed Michael Robinson’s plan wasn’t sustainable and would lead to excessive burdens on custodial supervisors. He also raised allegations of unprofessional conduct from Robinson, stating he subjected employees to “ridicule, demeaning behavior, and beratement.”
Less than a month later — and less than a year after being promoted to the position by Robinson — Keenan is no longer director of the department. Keenan and former Facilities Services Manager Aundrea Atkins now report to Executive Director Debra Foulk in Business Affairs.
In his emailed letter to Autry, Keenan said he was verbally reprimanded by the superintendent for voicing his concerns about the departmental restructuring and treatment of his former employees.
“My reservations were met with swift rebuke, including reiterated statements such as, ‘You know that I am the Superintendent, and I am the one that makes these decisions,’ and ‘You understand that this is my authority, and I am the Superintendent,” Keenan wrote.
“I was treated as though I had purposefully challenged Dr. Robinson’s authority and needed to be reminded of my place.”
Chief of Staff Angela Carter said Keenan will continue to supervise the construction of the new Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts and Pfeiffer Elementary on the site of the old Kenmore High School.
“With the recent passage of Issue 27, Mr. Steven Keenan, Director of Facilities Services, has been assigned to lead the implementation of the district’s building maintenance and capital improvement plan,” district spokeswoman Stacey Hodoh said in an emailed statement.
For now, Keenan does not have any employees reporting to him. It’s also unclear if Atkins will supervise anyone. Carter said the district is finalizing the reorganization.
This is the second time in as many weeks that the district has experienced a shift in leadership. Last week, Mike Defibaugh, the director of labor relations, and Yamini Adkins, the executive director of Human Capital, confirmed their resignations, effective Jan. 3.
Keenan alleges misconduct by Robinson
Keenan said his interactions with Robinson occurred across multiple meetings. They culminated in a meeting with the superintendent after Keenan sent an email to Facilities Services employees before he took time off to care for family. The email, he said, was dictated and verbally approved by Carter before Keenan hit send.
Keenan wrote that Robinson was unhappy with the email. Keenan also wrote that his employees began contacting him on the first day of his leave with concerns over Robinson’s conduct.
“Members of my team were in significant distress after being sharply reprimanded by Dr. Robinson,” Keenan wrote. “… He then reportedly began telling team members they needed to ‘step up’ or ‘find new employment’ if they were unable to meet the new, excessive demands — reportedly with some ‘colorful’ language used in the exchange.”
Keenan wrote his letter when his staff faced what he deemed “unwarranted criticism, excessive workloads, and unprofessional treatment” by the superintendent. He wrote that Robinson’s actions threatened the “morale” and “overall well-being” of the Facilities Services team.
Keenan wrote that he was aware his letter to Autry could bring professional consequences.
Superintendent responds in letter to board president
Robinson responded to the allegation raised by Keenan in a Nov. 25 letter of his own to Autry. In it, he largely laid the blame on Keenan, saying he showed a “lack of leadership” and the Facilities Services department had “low morale” with him as its supervisor.
A large portion of Robinson’s letter dealt with a second letter written by Keenan to Autry, which was not provided to Signal Akron.
Robinson said he’s attempted to counsel Keenan on his leadership style and admitted to admonishing the Facilities Services director on his “continued persistence on matters.” Robinson also said in his letter that the director of Facilities Services position was on his list of positions to be cut next school year.
Robinson took issue with Keenan accessing APS resources while on Family Medical Leave to send emails to board members about his “personal complaints about other District employees.”