The union for Akron Public Schools is continuing to call for Superintendent Michael Robinson to be placed on administrative leave as more allegations of hostile behavior have surfaced.
This time, the concerns came from a former communications director for the district.
Mark Williamson, who retired in October, sent a letter Dec. 5 to the interim counsel for the Akron Public Schools accusing Robinson of “unprofessional” and “hostile” behavior, including using a derogatory term to refer to two female journalists.
This comes nearly two weeks since the board announced officials will hire an independent firm to investigate “personnel issues” related to Robinson.
"The union is simply asking for parity and equality, and everyone should be treated the same, and when any member of AEA ... is accused of wrongdoing, they are immediately placed on paid administrative leave," said Don Malarcik, attorney for the Akron Education Association. "I'm not sure, again, why Dr. Robinson is getting this special treatment."
In the letter first reported by the Akron Beacon Journal and obtained by Ideastream Public Media, Williamson outlined several events he reportedly witnessed since 2023.
In one instance, Robinson allegedly used a derogatory slur to refer to two local female journalists, who were not in the room at the time.
“To me, this shocking, unacceptable language should have necessitated an immediate reprimand,” Williamson wrote. “I know of no other workplace where this kind of language is permitted.”
The incident reportedly happened in front of the district’s human resources director in January 2024, Williamson wrote.
Malarcik said he felt "shock and disgust" when he first read the letter, he said.
"The idea that we would have a superintendent of a public school system using that kind of sexist and misogynistic language towards females is appalling and uncalled for," Malarcik said.
The lack of discipline or reprimand for the remark sends a bad message, Malarcik added.
"If a student used the kind of sexist and misogynistic language that Dr. Robinson uses to describe females, that student would immediately be removed from the classroom," Malarcik added. "I'm not sure what the message is that the board is sending to the community, but it's not a good, healthy message for role models for students and our staff members."
A district spokesperson has not yet responded to Ideastream’s request for comment.
No details have been shared yet about the firm that will be hired to investigate Robinson or how much the district will pay, Malarcik added. The union is asking the school board to place Robinson on leave during the investigation, Malarcik said.
"We have Dr. Robinson, who has gone on the record as a bully, [and] who is still in the same building intimidating witnesses against his behavior," Malarcik said. "It is uncalled for, it is ridiculous, and it is unprecedented. Every other employee who's ever been accused of misconduct has been placed on paid administrative leave."
Williamson also alleged in the letter “at least half a dozen” times in which Robinson yelled at or chastised him, loud enough for people outside a meeting room to hear.
In one instance, a community member who was sitting on the other side of the office reportedly told Williamson, “no one is allowed to speak to anyone that way. You need to do something about this."
That community member also vowed to never be in a room with Robinson “ever again,” Williamson wrote.
This is not the first time Robinson has been accused of yelling at employees. Earlier this year, school board member Rene Molenaur wrote a letter to fellow board members expressing concerns about a “pattern of unprofessional conduct.”
Molenaur alleged the superintendent had called her a "backstabber" and a "headache," and yelled at her in a one-on-one meeting where she was seeking clarity on district policies.
"During that call I even received text messages from other employees asking if I was ok because they heard the superintendent yelling at me through the walls of at 10 N. Main," Molenaur wrote in the letter obtained by Ideastream.
Robinson's conduct toward staff members has "escalated" since he was hired in 2023, Malarcik said.
"Dr. Robinson has over, and over, and over again shown himself to be a bully," he said.
Other concerns have been raised about Robinson. Recently, he was accused of using Gmail’s confidential mode to send emails that disappear after a limited period of time and cannot be forwarded.
AEA has filed four unfair labor practice complaints against him over the last year and accused him of union busting.
Robinson has said he is pro-union and otherwise denied allegations of unprofessional conduct.
Williamson added that he wrote the letter to “document experiences” that he had as an employee.
“It’s my belief that our kids, families and employees deserve better,” he wrote.
