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Youngstown school board won’t meet with High Commission, chief says
By Denise Dick
Youngstown
The city schools superintendent can arrange meetings between district personnel charged with academic success and the Community High Commission, the school board president wrote in a letter to the group.
Earlier this week, Jimma McWilson of the commission, a group seeking to close the achievement gap for black students in the city schools, delivered a letter to Lock P. Beachum Sr., school board president, asking for meetings with the board, as part of the regular board meetings of March 13 and March 27.
McWilson wasn’t satisfied with Beachum’s response.
“It’s a nonresponse to a direct request,” he said.
He said a news conference to deliver the commission’s response will be scheduled.
McWilson’s letter said that if the board doesn’t agree to those meetings and dialogue with the group, its followers would be advised to get their children the best education possible outside of Youngstown City Schools.
The group is concerned about the academic performance of black students in the district, which is considered below proficient, as well as the amount of taxpayer money spent during the last couple of years through the schools.
Beachum’s letter, dated Friday, says the district is working to improve the academic status of all children.
“As you know, we have been directed by the Academic Distress Commission to begin a series of community engagement meetings throughout our community,” it says. “If you are interested, we could ask the Academic Distress Commission if it is possible to schedule a meeting to focus exclusively on the concerns and viewpoints of the Community High Commission.”
Beachum’s letter also says that the superintendent can arrange meetings with district personnel if the commission prefers that.
“It’s the school board — elected officials — abdicating responsibility to the Academic Distress Commission,” McWilson said.
That commission has a different mandate than the school board, he said.