Two members of the Akron Public Schools Board of Education are expressing concern about the independence of the district's investigation of Superintendent Michael Robinson ahead of a board meeting Monday evening.
Board Member Gregory Harrison has said he will call for a vote Monday for Robinson to be placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues, while Board Member Rene Molenaur in an email Friday said she was concerned about district resources being used to defend him during the investigation.
The Akron Education Association, the union which represents the district's teachers, called for Robinson to be placed on leave shortly after the investigation was launched in December. Robinson faced accusations of creating a hostile work environment for district employees, bullying a board member and of using derogatory terms to refer to female reporters. In an article last week, the Akron Beacon Journal spoke with two dozen APS employees about how Robinson allegedly created an environment where people are afraid to speak out. Harrison's public statement about placing Robinson on leave came after that story was published.
Meanwhile, Molenaur expressed concerns about Stacey Hodoh, the district's director of communications, in an April 8 email to fellow board members. She said Hodoh shared a statement from Robinson's attorney with a reporter in response to the allegations of misconduct.
"The Communications Director is employed by the district to serve the communication needs of the school system, not to act as an intermediary for private legal representation," Molenaur wrote. "The Superintendent's attorney is not a district-paid legal representative but rather a personal or private attorney retained for his specific legal needs."
Molenaur also shared an email she said she received from Hodoh asking her to "cease and desist the targeting and harassment you have routinely demonstrated towards me immediately." Another email Hodoh sent to the district's top leadership on April 9 argued she didn't do anything improper by forwarding the superintendent's "attorney-prepared response directly to (the reporter), without alteration or intervention."
"This unfounded accusation is documented as a further instance of targeted behavior and potential retaliation by certain board members," Hodoh wrote.
In response to Harrison's call for Robinson to be placed on leave, Hodoh said in a statement last week that "notifying the media regarding confidential personnel decisions is not aligned with the district's mission or vision."
"Such actions can detract from the direction we are striving toward, particularly as we navigate the ongoing investigation into the unspecified allegations against the superintendent that arose in December 2024," Hodoh wrote in the statement. "It is important to note that personnel matters are procedurally reserved for the Board's private executive sessions. Public statements during an active legal fact-finding process can inadvertently raise questions about motivations and potentially compromise the integrity of the investigation."
Hodoh and Harrison have previously butted heads, with Hodoh accusing Harrison of unethical conduct and Harrison alleging Hodoh of exhibiting threatening behavior toward him when they met in a crowded elevator back in December. Molenaur documented the incident in a report sent to the board's attorney that backed up Harrison's claims.
Molenaur in her email last week noted the district has hired a second firm to investigate the "elevator incident" from December. She said she was contacted by the firm recently and had several questions about the scope of that investigation.
"However, my understanding from prior board discussions was that the investigation was focused on the Communications Director, who is a district employee," she wrote. "The letter I received instead references an investigation of a board member, which was not what I was informed of related to the item we voted on at the March 24 meeting."
At Monday's meeting, the board is also expected to get an update on the district's financial restructuring plans, which could involve layoffs. The board will also consider repealing several diversity, equity and inclusion-related policies.
