A new CEO took over Youngstown City Schools today. StateImpact Ohio’s Michelle Faust reports a crowd of hundreds gathered to meet the former Chicago school administrator.
It was the first time Youngstown residents met their new CEO KrishMohip, and he tried to alleviate their concerns. He says he’s not planning to privatize the city’s schools.
“I’ve never seen a district just outsource all schools to charters and say this is how we’re going to work. It’s kind of the antithesis of what I’ve done.”
Mohip says he plans to talk to the Youngstown community before coming up with a plan for the district.
The teacher’s union and others have expressed concern that the CEO could unilaterally close schools and fire teachers.
Kenneth Simon is the senior pastor at New Bethel Baptist Church. He was one of many religious and community leaders at Tuesday’s meeting advocating for more community input in how schools are run.
“We’re giving the CEO more power than the Lord has to just run a district the way he sees fit.”
About a year ago, Gov. John Kasich signed H.B. 70, which made Youngstown the first district in the state to be taken over by the state.