‘I Hope You’re not Recording.’ Taped CCS Board Calls Reveal Effort to Spin Document Leak
Source: https://www.dispatch.com/
Records obtained by The Dispatch reveal that several Columbus City Schools board members, including Vice President Tina Pierce and member Jennifer Adair, spoke with embattled member Brandon Simmons before a controversial leaked document was made public. These recordings, part of Simmons’ complaint to the Ohio auditor, suggest that the conversations occurred prior to the document’s leak by the district’s teachers union in late May, and it appears the board members were unaware they were being recorded.
The recordings reveal that board Vice President Tina Pierce advised Brandon Simmons on how to deflect blame for a controversial leaked document and manage the resulting fallout. She suggested directing the controversy towards board member Sarah Ingles, who had initially shared the document with the Columbus Education Association. Pierce characterized the document as a briefing, emphasizing that it was one individual who decided to share it outside their group.
Neither Jennifer Adair nor Tina Pierce could be reached for comment, and a district spokesperson stated that board members would not be available for interviews after recent meetings. Sarah Ingles also declined to comment. The controversy centers on a draft strategy by Brandon Simmons related to the district’s plan to close school buildings. The strategy, first released by the teachers union in May, included divisive tactics aimed at creating conflict between the district’s two unions, such as using loud machinery during their events and manipulating public input meeting locations to confuse opponents.
Tina Pierce and Jennifer Adair previously stated during a meeting that they had no role in creating a controversial document related to the district’s school closure strategy. Brandon Simmons, who was censured by the board in June and again on Monday, claimed others were involved but has not provided evidence for his assertions. A legal investigation, which the board voted to release, indicated that Simmons bore full responsibility and may have deleted evidence. During the latest meeting, the board voted to censure Simmons again, imposing restrictions due to allegations of his illegal building access, misuse of district resources, and harassment of board members and employees, with both Adair and Pierce supporting the action.
The nearly 40-minute audio recording between Tina Pierce and Brandon Simmons is dated to the Sunday before the controversial document was leaked. In the conversation, they discussed strategies for managing the political fallout expected when John Coneglio and the Columbus Education Association released the document prior to a board meeting.
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