The Akron Board of Education voted Monday, for a second time, to hire longtime district employee Mary Outley as the district's permanent superintendent, again pending contract negotiations.
The vote to "reaffirm" Outley's appointment comes after questions about the board not following its own policy, which calls for a longer, more deliberative process.
Board president Carla Jackson in a statement sent after the meeting said not following the policy didn't invalidate Outley's hiring, either time.
"The Board acknowledges that, in this case, it did not follow every recommendation outlined in Policy 1220, such as conducting an external search," the statement reads. "However, this departure from certain policy recommendations does not invalidate the appointment or render it improper under Ohio law. The Board’s action was lawful and within its authority."
Just last week, the board voted 4-3 to accept a resignation agreement with Superintendent Michael Robinson, after an investigation found allegations that he bullied staff and created a toxic work environment were credible. He received a $200,000 payout in exchange for his resignation, along with an agreement to not pursue legal action against the district.
Immediately after voting on the resignation agreement during the April 28 meeting, the board voted 4-3 to hire Outley, despite not having discussed it previously or having a contract in place with her.
At Monday's meeting, board members Gregory Harrison, Barbara Sykes and Rene Molenaur again expressed concerns, as they did last week, about the district moving too fast to hire a new superintendent after years of tumult. Harrison pointed to the board's own policy, more than two decades old, that calls for:
- a written job description for the superintendent to be shared in advance of any hiring
- participation in the search from non-board members, including potentially an external consultant or community members
- for the board to interview candidates before hiring one
Harrison said he believes Outley is qualified for the job but said that's not the issue at stake.
"We've asked the taxpayers for a levy. And they answered the call. 59% said yes. And we're excluding them," Harrison said. "I don't think it's right. I don't think it is fair to this community. I don think it fair to Mary Outley herself."
Board vice president Bruce Alexander, who was one of four current board members who voted to hire Robinson previously, said he wasn't in favor of conducting a search and spending more time than was needed when the board already had a qualified candidate in place.
"If we want Mary Outley to be our superintendent, then we just need to vote for her to be our superintendent," he said. "And we can cut through the chaff, if that's the case."
Board member Diana Autry, who was the board's president when it hired Robinson, said Outley was a candidate during that superintendent search and noted the board interviewed her previously, giving her confidence in selecting Outley as the permanent superintendent. She hearkened back to a survey the district conducted at the time.
"And repeatedly, throughout that survey of over 300 staff, business, and community members, Mary Outley's name was mentioned," she said.
Autry added that the board's superintendent policy says the board "may" follow the actions prescribed therein, not "must."
Board member Rene Molenaur said the board needs to embody the principals of "transparency" and "fairness."
"Right now, our district needs to heal and the superintendent search and the conversation and that buildup, that is part of this process," she said.
The board has not entered into a final contract with Outley, despite both resolutions the board approved calling for Outley to be made permanent "pending contract negotiations."
Concerns raised about the leak
Akron City Councilmember Eric Garrett sent a public letter of concern Monday night about the board's conduct, questioning who leaked a document outlining the board's strategy to remove Robinson. Jackson had said press coverage of the document damaged the board's ability to negotiate with Robinson, inflating the cost of the payout he received.
"The individual, or individuals, who undermined this process have now left our district exposed," Garrett wrote. "And while some loudly decry the board’s so-called failure, few seem willing to ask the more complicated question: Who spent an extra $160K of taxpayer money by leaking confidential documents?"
Garrett also suggested one board member be "censured" after a "breach of decorum" during the April 28 meeting. Molenaur had reached the end of the three minutes allotted to speak but continued despite Jackson asking her to adhere to the time limit. Molenaur spoke over Jackson despite her using a gavel and attempting to call the meeting to order.
"If we allow such behavior to go unchecked, we normalize dysfunction at the expense of our students, educators, and taxpayers," Garret said.
Molenaur was raising concerns about the district's safety protocols at schools being used for election sites in 2025.
