COLUMBUS, Ohio — Censured Columbus City Schools board member Brandon Simmons released a new statement on Thursday regarding the leaked document he created. The statement also addresses the public records he was ordered by the board to comply with.
During a special meeting Wednesday night, the Columbus Board of Education said he must comply with sharing documents and records in his possession by 5 p.m. on Thursday.
According to Simmons' statement, he spent several hours with the district’s attorney sharing 70 pages worth of records on Thursday.
The statement reads as the following:
“Today I spent over 4 hours with legal counsel and produced over 70 pages of documents related to public records requests. All of these documents have been delivered to the District. With the advice and under the guidance of legal counsel I have always and will always comply with Ohio's Public Records Law. Last Friday, I determined it was an important and necessary step to consult with my own legal counsel prior to processing requests for public records.
The Board's decision yesterday to threaten legal action was intended to prevent myself from having the appropriate time to consult and obtain my own legal counsel.
I want to be clear, the document should not exist. It is wrong that I acted in a way inconsistent with my values. I remain deeply sorry and ashamed. It continues to be unfortunate that my colleagues and others refuse to acknowledge any of their involvement in this process.
I am deeply sorry that elements of this plan such as the May 14th press conference, relocation of the May 21st board meeting, and recruitment of public comment speakers among other items were actively being implemented by multiple board members.”
The public records request Simmons refers to is connected to the leaked document he allegedly created, titled, “Taking Control of the Task Force Narrative.” It refers to the district’s task force, which shared recommendations earlier this month for about 20 school closures. The six-page document outlined driving a wedge between education labor unions like the Columbus Education Association and the Columbus School Employees Association as well as the public.
In his statement, Simmons continued calling out other board members for their involvement with the leaked document. On Wednesday, he shared the dates of three meetings where the document was discussed, naming Board President Christina Vera, Board Vice President Tina Pierce and CCS Superintendent Dr. Angela Chapman as being involved.
The board members deny any involvement with the document.
"No other board member contributed to or participated in the drafting of the document,” Vera stated during the Wednesday night special meeting.
Simmons' statement Thursday night detailed specific examples of how board members were already implementing parts of the document, something the Columbus Education Justice Coalition said they started picking up on.
"It's unfathomable like you cannot make this up. I can't believe it's happening,” Izetta Thomas, lead organizer of the coalition, said.
Though the school board voted to censure Simmons for the remainder of the year and to remove him from his community assignments, Thomas said these actions were not far enough. The coalition believes Simmons should be removed from the board.
"That would be a way to show our parents and families that the board and the district are working towards rebuilding the trust that has been broken,” Thomas said.