Ohio Auditor Keith Faber said Columbus City Schools violated Ohio Open Meetings Laws in May of last year.
The district held a meeting with several school board members behind closed doors to discuss a controversial strategy document to close several school buildings. Ohio Auditor Keith Faber wrote a letter to the Columbus Board of Education, saying the board met outside of a public forum to discuss a strategic plan for closing multiple school buildings.
Faber said the action was in violation of Ohio Revised Code, because the board did not notify the public about the meetings.
Faber said the board should establish policies and procedures to make sure all board meetings meet the standard. Faber did not say whether the board could be sanctioned for its actions.
In this meeting, CCS Board Member Brandon Simmons introduced a controversial strategy document suggesting ways to silence opposition from the teacher's union and limit media coverage. The document was later leaked by Board Member Sarah Ingles, igniting tensions over the district's plan to close several aging buildings.
The district responded to Faber's letter in a statement to WOSU.
“The CCS Board of Education has received the management letter from the Auditor of State and commits to addressing recommendations and complying with the Ohio Sunshine Laws," the statement said.
Simmons reported fellow members to the Ohio Auditor's office in September for allegedly misusing public funds and retaliating against him. He submitted recordings that showed he was not the only board member who helped author the document.
The board censured Simmons and called on him to resign.
So far, Simmons has chosen to remain on the CCS board.
