The Akron Public Schools’ Board of Education has a new president. Carla Jackson was chosen for the position Monday night by a board vote of 4-3.
Members Jackson, Diana Autry, Bruce Alexander and Summer Hall voted for Jackson. Barbara Sykes, Rene Molenaur and Gregory Harrison voted “no” on her presidency, instead voting for Sykes.
The decision to make Alexander, the longest-tenured member of the board, the vice president fell along the same vote. Harrison, Sykes and Molenaur all voted for Molenaur for the position.
Jackson is in her fourth year on the Board of Education; this is her first stint as president. She works as a middle school administrator at Emmanuel Christian Academy, a local private school that receives school-choice vouchers through the state.
In 2024, Emmanuel Christian Academy received nearly $250,000 in state funds, according to data from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.
Board shares update on superintendent investigation
After another lengthy executive session — nearly three hours on Monday — Jackson issued a statement on behalf of the board about the ongoing investigation into Superintendent Michael Robinson.
Prior to the holidays, the board participated in several executive sessions to discuss disciplining a public employee. They’ve spent well over a dozen hours in executive session in recent meetings, and each time declined to vote after the sessions.
Jackon’s statement in full reads:
“The review authorized by the Akron Public Schools Board of Education into allegations of misconduct has begun. The law firm Brennan Manna Diamond is serving as a fact finder and has reviewed documents and conducted initial interviews. No deadline has been established so the investigators can take the time they need to conduct a thorough, impartial and independent review of this matter.
“The board will provide additional updates as a review progresses. The final report will be made public. There’s no additional information at this time. Thank you.”
Akron school board members receive new subcommittee assignments
In one of her first moves as president, Jackson assigned members to new subcommittees. The board also chose to designate three members to each subcommittee, a departure from how they were staffed last year. See their new assignments below:
- Legal, Contracts & Board Policy
- Chair: Bruce Alexander
- Co-Chair: Diana Autry
- Third: Gregory Harrison
- Finance & Capital Management
- Chair: Barbara Sykes
- Co-Chair: Gregory Harrison
- Third: Rene Molenaur
- Instructional Policy & Student Achievement
- Chair: Diana Autry
- Co-Chair: Summer Hall
- Third: Bruce Alexander
- Equity
- Chair: Summer Hall
- Co-Chair: Rene Molenaur
- Third: Barbara Sykes
