Local school boards, like all other public entities, are expected to comply with the state’s Open Meeting Law.
In fact school board members are required to attend and complete a certain number of hours of education and the Open Meeting Act is part of that.
There’s a good reason for the law. It’s so school boards and other public entities ensure there is transparency when conducting business as it relates to the public.
School board members are to represent the best interests of the constituents that elected them and that they serve including the students who are attending schools to obtain an education.
Recently, White Rock School Board members went into an executive to apparently talk about their superintendent during a meeting on March 11.
Even though the agenda’s proposed executive session for that meeting indicated that when they returned to open session after convening behind closed doors, there would be a discussion, motion and vote the superintendent’s contract would be among other items it failed to clearly state before going into the session what matters they were to discuss.
In an Attorney General’s Opinion issued in 1998, it states a public body that goes into executive session must identify by name or by position the person being discussed.
The minutes of that meeting reflected they actually voted 2-1 not to renew Supt. Alicia Ebers for the 2025 school year. Because they failed to inform the public what their executive session would be about, then came out and took action not to renew her is a clear violation of the Open Law.
A violation of the Open Meeting Act is a misdemeanor under Oklahoma law.
Afterwards someone apparently got their attention of that fact because they called for a special meeting three days later on March 14. On that agenda an action called for discussion and possible action to rescind the board action of March 11, 2025 to not renew the superintendent’s contract.
Minutes of that meeting reflect that a motion was made and seconded to rescind the non-renewal of Supt. Alicia Ebers that took place three days prior and it passed 3-0.
Because of the controversy that has occurred from the actions by the board, at least nine teachers and staff have resigned. We’ve learned at least five of the teachers have new jobs, a sixth is retiring and one is looking. We’ve been informed that more teachers will resign in May.
Still, even though they tried to right the wrong, that doesn’t stop the fact they apparently violated the law, and may have committed a misdemeanor. There’s absolutely no excuse for what they did other than they simply ignored informing the public of their intentions.
Someone needs to bring this to the attention of District Attorney Adam Panter. White Rock is in Lincoln County and within his juridiction.
Apparent violations like this warrant a look at least by the DA and if he deems a violation occurred, he should take appropriate action.