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After 10 hours of executive session across two weeks, the Akron Board of Education announced Thursday afternoon the hiring of an outside firm to investigate Superintendent Michael Robinson and other unidentified administrators.
The news marked the first time the district acknowledged “personnel-related issues” pertaining to Robinson that the board discussed during several lengthy executive sessions.
The focus on the investigation is unknown. Also, the name of the firm, and its area of expertise, was not included in the press release.
“It is the Board’s responsibility to take any allegations seriously,” according to the school board’s press release. “The independent firm will commence this review promptly and the Board will make its findings public upon completion.”
Robinson’s tenure in Akron has been marred by a number of public issues. Among them, board member Rene Molenaur outlined a pattern of behavior by Robinson that she said culminated in workplace harassment and bullying. And Robinson and others in the district sent work-related emails that were set to self-delete from recipients’ email inboxes, a process that may violate — or at least go against the intention of — state public records laws.
Robinson also spoke to a church congregation in May, saying he was facing his “crucifixion” at the hands of detractors. His guest sermon drew the ire of the teachers’ union, which has filed nearly 20 grievances, four Unfair Labor Practice complaints and one lawsuit against the district during his tenure.
Robinson on Thursday continued in his role as superintendent.
The Akron Education Association, the local teachers’ union, said in a statement that they were “stunned” by the board’s decision to allow the superintendent to remain in office while a fact-finding firm investigates “serious allegations” against him.
How much will the fact-finding investigation cost?
It’s unclear how much the district will spend to hire an outside firm, but expenditures over $25,000 must be approved by the Board of Education in a public meeting.
Board policy also states that any purchases over $10,000 must go through a competitive bidding process, with an exception carved out for emergencies.
The board does not appear to have yet gone through a public bidding process to hire an outside firm.
