7th Ward invites school officials for Q&A

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The 7th Ward Citizens Coalition has invited Youngstown city school officials to a public question-and-answer session at 7 p.m. Monday at the Youngstown Metro Assembly of God, 2530 South Ave.

City residents will be able to ask questions directly to members of the school administration, school board and others who have key roles in the school system.

The Youngstown Schools Public Question & Answer Forum will run for 90 minutes.

In addition to the board, district superintendent and treasurer, the coalition has invited the director of curriculum and community support, the president of the teachers union and the chairmen of both the state Academic Distress Commission and the state fiscal oversight commission, which respectively control Youngstown academics and finances.

The meeting will be moderated by Atty. Patricia Dougan. Members of the audience will submit their questions in writing on cards that will be passed to Dougan who will ask the questions. Questions will be directed specifically to one of the invited guests, and time for rebuttal or additional comments will be offered to up to two other members of the panel.

Dougan said the meeting is intended to be an opportunity for shared communication that will allow the public’s voice to be heard through the questions presented.

“We are not hosting a debate between the panel and the audience nor between panel members. This is simply a question-and-answer session in which we hope everyone in the room will be enlightened by the end of the evening,” she said.

Chris Travers, coalition president, pointed out that, with the school system in both academic and fiscal emergency and the impending departure of Wendy Webb as superintendent, the school district is at a very significant crossroads and a public meeting such as this is in order.