(Photo by Douglass Huxley) Marietta City Schools Board of Education member John Lehman speaks to a crowd gathered in the Marietta High School auditorium Monday. Lehman addressed allegations that he’s created a “toxic culture” and an “atmosphere of fear and intimidation” saying people are “running down the wrong trail.”

“The house is on fire,” Marietta City Schools Board of Education member Cody Parman said Monday night to a crowd gathered in the high school auditorium.

“It feels like an emergency. It feels like things are going poorly right now. … So I think the worst thing that we could do right now is to pretend like everything is going as planned.”

The board held its regular meeting Monday night with a large crowd of parents, staff and students showing up to voice their concerns about a string of recent resignations.

Marietta High Principal Chad Rinard and Vice Principal Katie Cronin resigned in May. Jason Spencer was announced in June as a replacement for Rinard but soon after it was reported he turned down the position to take a superintendent job in another district.

Bob Caldwell was named the interim principal on Aug. 21 but resigned on Sept. 14. Timothy Fleming, director of curriculum and technology, is now acting as principal for the high school. Superintendent Brad Silvus resigned Nov. 1 with Allison Woods, director of student services, being named the interim superintendent while the district searched for a new one. The board accepted the resignation of Athletic Director Cody Venderlic on Monday night.

(Photo by Douglass Huxley) Devin Alexander, a parent of a Marietta High School student, criticized the Marietta City Schools Board of Education Monday night accusing some board members of prioritizing their own interests over the needs of the students and community. He stated that many long-term mentors and coaches are leaving the school because of the actions of the board.

“Our district, specifically the building that I’m in, the high school, is now in a spiral, and the cascading events could spiral out of control, because people are looking for lifeboats,” Steve Parlin, a lifelong Marietta resident who has taught in the district for 20 years, said. “And when people start looking for lifeboats, even the very best we have in the building, start asking (themselves), how long do I stay here in a sinking boat?”

Many put the blame on the board demanding their resignations but most of the blame was directed towards one board member specifically.

“My read on the situation is that John Lehman, one of our board members, has created an incredibly toxic culture in our school system,” Ryan Miller, a local pastor and parent, said. “He’s created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, and he’s carried out a vendetta against a number of people.”

Before the board went into executive session, Lehman addressed the accusations saying he was “flabbergasted” by the things being said.

“I’ve been involved in education in Marietta for a long, long time. My wife and I put three children through this system. Twenty-five years of exposure to this system, before half of you were born. I coach, I volunteer, we raised money, we did a lot of great things,” he said. “I’m truly flabbergasted with what I’m hearing tonight. And somebody’s got a bunch of people running down the wrong trail, I gotta tell you. Ryan Miller, you should be ashamed of yourself.”

The crowd erupted with “boos” and Lehman was unable to continue. He didn’t speak again after coming back from the executive session.

Attempts to reach Lehman were unsuccessful Tuesday.

Miller said in an interview later that he was shocked to learn that the athletic director, who is widely respected and loved by coaches, was resigning. He said this was followed by the football coach also announcing his plans to resign at a banquet Thursday night, as well as the possible resignation of the successful volleyball coach.

Miller said he felt compelled to organize the community and posted a video to Facebook urging them to attend Monday’s meeting.

“That got shared, I think, 140 times and got like 35,000 views. And I wasn’t expecting that,” Miller said.

He said his goal is for the board to take responsibility for the situation and commit to retaining the district’s best teachers, administrators and staff. He said he is willing to work with the board, but has not ruled out organizing an impeachment movement if they do not adequately address the community’s concerns.

“I just want to see the resignations stop. I want to see our best people stay with us and not leave the school district,” Miller said.

This sentiment was shared by many and was expressed to the board. Devin Alexander, a parent of a Marietta High student, said that many long-term mentors and coaches have plans to leave the school, which is deeply upsetting to him and other parents. He urged the board to investigate the root causes of the staffing issues and provide clear explanations to the community.

“You’ve got a whole community here that is very upset, and we have no answers. We have no idea why it’s happening,” Alexander said.

Students from Marietta High also voiced their concerns Monday about the situation at their school and staged a walk-out Tuesday to demonstrate their frustrations.

Teddy Bauer, a junior, spoke about the issues facing his school and fellow students Monday.

“We notice,” Bauer said about the lack of regular teachers, saying many classes are being taught by substitute teachers and that his sister’s eighth grade science class has had no teacher for nearly two weeks.

“We notice,” he said about the absence of strong leadership and vision from the school’s principal and other administrators, leading to declining morale and school spirit among faculty and students.

“We notice,” he said about the outdated textbooks, crumbling infrastructure and a stark contrast between the school’s facilities and the more modern, well-equipped schools in neighboring districts.

“There is something to be said about stability, and I don’t sense any,” Bauer said. “We deserve a school board that listens to our concerns (that doesn’t act out of) spite or retaliation, and that makes the necessary investments in our education and future. We notice, and we demand change, just not the kind of change you’re delivering.”

Taylor Karcher, a senior and team captain for the varsity volleyball team, spoke about the significant impact that school figures have had on the sports programs and the school as a whole. She praised volleyball head coach Ron Kidder saying he is an amazing coach and even better person, who has had tremendous success. She credited Kidder with stressing the importance of kindness, respect, and academics, and said he has been a huge positive influence on her personal development as a player and person.

Karcher described football head coach Jason Schob as a dedicated teacher who has helped transform the school’s football program. She said Schob cares deeply about students’ well-being and always puts a smile on people’s faces, making him a joy to be around. She urged the school to focus on making immediate positive changes to address these issues and secure the best possible future for the school, students, staff and community.

“The past is the past,” Karcher told the board. “We need to shift our focus on the future and start making immediate positive changes to the school system. And we can all speak about our concerns and ask our questions and possibly never hear a response to them, but please remember that no response is a response. Not listening to these people in front of you, that makes you a part of the problem.”

Kidder and Schob could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Parmen said it was difficult for the board to address some of these issues because there are so many different narratives attached to them.

“It’d be foolish, obviously, to go tit for tat with each one of these issues in a situation like this,” Parmen said. “But I am very encouraged, though, to see the amount of parents and stakeholders here, because you are concerned. … And so I’m encouraged, because this is a reminder to every one of us board members that this means a lot to this community, this school. We’re Small Town USA. When you look at the school in any small town in America, it’s the heartbeat of that community. And so this is important. You’re right. We do need to listen to the community.”

Board President Sam Tuten said the board acknowledges the community’s concerns and the need to be more transparent. He said the board plans to reestablish relationships with administrators and union leaders to better understand internal perspectives and address any underlying issues.

He said the board aims to have open conversations with departing staff to understand their reasons for leaving and identify ways to improve the work environment but said they must balance this with respecting employees’ privacy.

He said the board’s next steps include follow-up conversations with staff and administrators, exploring ways to better incorporate student voices, and deciding on the process and timeline for hiring a permanent high school principal. He said he likes to operate with an assumption of optimism.

“We clearly have passionate community members,” Tuten said. “So I am optimistic that there’s a page to turn. …(You want to hear) from the good and the bad. You want support from your community, because you want to be able to hear those things that are good and those things that are bad. But it’s going to take a little bit of time to have those conversations with everybody about what the path is.”