A coalition led by former educators has filed state and federal grievances against the Lake Pend Oreille School District in Idaho. The grievances are in response to the district’s plan to relocate alternative high school students from their current building to trailers behind the middle school.

Grievances Filed

The coalition, led by Jackie Branum, a retired West Bonner School District superintendent, alleges that Superintendent Becky Meyer decided to relocate the alternative school without board discussion or a formal motion. The complaint also claims misuse of consent agendas, manipulations of attendance data, misallocation of public funds, and open meeting violations.

The district has argued that an enrollment drop from about 100 alternative students in March 2024 to 76 this March has led to a budget deficit that necessitates the move. However, the coalition argues that staffing changes have contributed to the enrollment drop, with electives like art no longer offered on the alternative school’s campus.

Community Response

Randy Wilhelm, a retired art teacher, has been leading the opposition to the relocation plan. He founded the Facebook group Advocates for Lake Pend Oreille High School, which now has over 500 members. Wilhelm is planning to build a float for Sandpoint’s Fourth of July parade to raise awareness about the issue.

The district has largely denied the claims in the complaint, stating that many of the claims are false. The district believes the school will still qualify for at-risk student funding and argues that the school will still have its own campus.

Original reporting: Idaho Education News — read the source article.