The July meeting of the Board of Education for Adams Central was rather contentious, especially early on in the public comment segment as several citizens and one high school student made their opinions known about several issues.
Speaking in the presence of interim superintendent Brent Lehman and board members Jeremi Schortgen, Ben Liechty, Mike Brown, Heather Frank, Shelly Gerber, Rhonda Isch and Doug Schultz, several members of the public addressed the board in an extended segment of public comment.
Student urges board to keep valedictorian recognition
While most of the crowd was there to discuss a physical altercation between two students that happened months ago, one Adams Central student addressed the board regarding the potential for valedictorian and salutatorian awards to disappear at AC.
Hailey Brune, one of the top students in her class at Adams Central, pleaded with board members to consider keeping the traditional awards for the top two spots in each class. She was followed by her father, Jason, who noted that many athletes are honored for being the very best in their specific sports and that those who achieve academically should be treated the same.
“When did it become offensive to succeed academically,” asked Jason Brune.
Jason Brune urged the school corporation to add a cum laude system, similar, he said, to the one at Bellmont High School, while also continuing to recognize class rank and the valedictorian and salutatorian.
As is common at public school board meetings, board members and the superintendent do not comment or answer questions during the public comment section.
Father of assaulted student seeks answers
The next public comment came from Zac Smith, who began his five minutes by describing what he called “a violent assault” on his daughter during the school day at Adams Central last school year. Smith’s daughter suffered a “traumatic brain injury” due to the incident, he said.
Smith addressed a large group of parents and community members behind him and thanked them for attending – something he had been urging them to do on social media for the week leading up to Tuesday night’s meeting.
When Smith again addressed the board, he asked each member and the superintendent to consider their duties as board members.
Smith was reminded by school officials of the rules of public comment at board meetings, causing Smith to change his approach and avoid naming names in his address to the board.
Reading from prepared notes on his phone, Smith addressed specific school policies and the code of school conduct and alleged that those policies were not being followed by Adams Central.
“This was a premeditated assault,” Smith alleged, “but no appropriate consequences followed.”
Smith continued with school policies that he felt were not followed, then defended several teachers who had been involved in reporting the incident. Midway through his defense of those teachers, Smith was told his five minutes were up.
Smith, acknowledging his time was up, continued and accused the school district of not following policies as they are written.
Reminded again by board president Heather Frank that he was over his time, Smith turned his attention back to the large crowd and asked a rhetorical question.
“Do you truly believe my daughter or any child is safe at this school under this administration?”
Reminded a third time that he was past his allotted five minutes, Smith, aided by two allies, served each of the board members and interim superintendent Brent Lehman with manila envelopes, containing, what Smith said were issues and grievances from other incidents and the attempts by other families that failed, he said, to work through issues with the administration.
As the board president attempted to bring down the temperature of the escalating public comment, Smith spoke over her saying, “We pay your salary!”
At that point in the meeting, interim superintendent Lehman rose from his seat and called Smith by name. Smith continued and finished his remarks, saying, “The community demands answers now.”
Many in the crowd stood and applauded as Smith took his seat, and one gentlemen in the crowd spoke loudly to the board over the applause, “These people are standing. Does that mean anything to you?”
As the next person was called for public comment, Smith sparred verbally with a board member in a rather tense moment.
Mia Tumbleson then addressed the board with emotion.
“A high school boy bet another boy this,” Tumbleson said as she held up a $20 bill, “that he wouldn’t hit her (Smith). He did. And all for $20, this girl’s life is forever changed. She suffered a traumatic brain injury. Painful headaches daily, she’s been unable to do the things she loves. Her life is limited because of this act.”
Tumbleson asked the board why the student who struck Smith received just a detention and continued to be seated next to Smith after the incident and was not suspended.
Upon the conclusion of the public comment, Frank then spoke to the crowd and her fellow board members.
“So, you can choose to believe, or not believe, that every person up here does care,” said Frank as her voice cracked and she pointed to her fellow board members. “The countless hours that are put into this job, nobody does this job for the salary. Many of us went into this job not even knowing their was payment. It’s not about money, it’s not about power. It’s about a deep care for children. It hurts all of us when one of our children is hurt, it really does.”
As Frank continued her comment, Smith exclaimed “Then do something!”
Frank continued, looking at Smith, saying that all incidents and disciplines must go through the correct chain of command. She noted that board members are charged with several priorities.
“Our budget, hiring a superintendent and creating policy.”
Frank, speaking over several in the crowd, said that the board can only create policy and hope that it is followed by school officials. She went on to say that she can ask questions of school officials, but that board members do not have the authority or ability to investigate.
Her final comment drawing the ire of several in the crowd, Frank thanked those in attendance for the comments, and then commenced with the next agenda item, the approval of payment vouchers.
Academic Recognition draws more discussion
Acknowledging the comments by Hailey and Jason Brune, Frank noted that the board may need more time to study proposed changes to the policies for academic recognition. Frank then asked for a motion to table any action on those policy changes, which was accepted by the board.
Before moving to the next agenda item, board member Ben Liechty noted that new diploma requirements by the state of Indiana have caused the traditional notions of class rank and valedictorian/salutatorian to come under question by guidance departments across the state.
Liechty then challenged the guidance department at Adams Central to find ways to keep everyone happy on both sides of the issue as this incoming freshman classes faces a drastically new set of diploma requirements.
Board member Jeremi Schortgen then ran through the timeline of the proposed changes and when they were presented to the board, to the public and when they had been publicized to local media.
Policy changes discussed
Later in the meeting, board members discussed changes to the high school handbook. In light of the public comment and controversy, several members spoke in favor of tabling any proposed changes to the high school handbook so that more study could be done on the issues brought up by the public.
Board member Doug Schultz asked what the advantage would be of completing any changes at the July meeting. High school officials noted that the handbook is typically completed so that students can sign the handbook and acknowledge the policies at registration at the start of the year. Tabling any changes would mean they would not be in place when the 2025-26 school year began.
A motion was then made to approve changes to the high school handbook. The motion passed, although at least two board members voted in opposition verbally.
Lehman addresses controversy
The interim superintendent, who acknowledged that he had only been on the job for about six weeks, noted that it is his practice to comment on public comment from a board meeting at the next month’s board meeting. He spoke to the comments made by Smith and his daughter, Londyn, at the June meeting.
“As educator, we take these issues to heart,” Lehman said. “I can assure you that everybody I’ve met so far, doesn’t get up in the morning thinking, ‘Who can I let down today?’ They want to do what’s best for our students. What happened, happened, and we need to own it.”
Lehman noted that he did not learn of the incident until May 5th and that the prosecutor’s office had been involved and was investigating the incident. He said that he had held 28 meetings and spoken with Smith for over four hours.
“All of this has been taken seriously,” said Lehman, who went on to remind those in attendance of the rules involved with revealing discipline issues involving students and staff. He addressed the misconception that the school board can investigate incidents like Smith’s.
Speaking with emotion in his voice, Lehman promised that going forward during his time at the helm, the district will own up to its shortcomings.
“How do we learn from this and how do we become better?,” he asked rhetorically. Discussion then went on to the upcoming budget that must be built for the upcoming school year.
Superintendent search continues
Frank ended the meeting noting that the board had already conducted an initial round of interviews for the next superintendent of the district and that plans are ongoing to conduct additional interviews.
Smith calls for continued pressure
Speaking after the meeting about what transpired, Smith made the following statement to WZBD: “Adams Central belongs to this community — to the students, families, teachers, and taxpayers who built it. Not the administration that hides from accountability and fails the children they’re supposed to protect.”
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