COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus City Schools board member Brandon Simmons demanded that his colleagues come together to create solutions for the facilities in the district, which he says should include building a new school.
Simmons, who was censured by the school board in May following the controversy of a leaked document, addressed the impending school closures weeks after a task force presented its final recommendations. The potential closures on the list include seven schools, two facilities and one administrative building.
The school board has not voted to approve the recommendations.
On Monday, Simmons demanded that the school board discuss solutions for the district’s facilities and creating learning opportunities for students.
“Closing schools without a strategy to significantly improve the perceived and actual quality education in the district will fail our kids,” he said.
Simmons added that teachers and the district’s labor partners should also be a part of the conversation.
“It is past time colleagues and our labor partners come up with a facility solution we can all agree on. A solution that will create the learning opportunities our kids deserve. A solution that respects the massive contributions of CSEA and CEA members who directly advance the education of our kids every day,” he said.
In November 2023, voters approved a $100 million levy for Columbus City Schools. The money would be used for operating expenses and maintenance of the school buildings.
Simmons said the money to maintain those facilities is going toward bills and recommended reallocating the funds to build new schools in the district.
“The opportunity for our students in a new school building is massive,” he said.
Simmons added that aligning more staff and resources for more students in fewer buildings would create opportunities for the district to reinvest money back into the students.
“I am going to continue to demand this from my colleagues every board meeting until we finance and commit to the construction of new schools,” he said.
The district’s spokesperson told 10TV’s Tara Jabour that Simmons “does not speak for the school board.” School board members are planning to address Simmons' comments during Tuesday's meeting.
Columbus Education Association President John Coneglio said the best thing Simmons can do for the students of Columbus City Schools is to resign.
"I don't think there's anybody in Columbus City Schools who's associated with Columbus City Schools, whether it's the board or the Columbus Education Association or OPC or the community that doesn't want the best for our kids. We all want the same thing. I think a lot of times we disagree on how we get there," Coneglio said.