After the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers announced its unanimous approval of a vote of no confidence in Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Iranetta Wright, some of the school system's employee unions are giving more detail on the reasons for their votes.
Standing outside the district's central office Monday, union leaders said six of the district's unions approved votes of no confidence in the superintendent. Five of the six union leaders in attendance said their memberships approved the vote unanimously. (Leaders from the Local 20 International Union of Operating Engineers did not attend due to ongoing contract negotiations.)
The votes come more than a year after the district's union leaders delivered a letter to the school board criticizing Wright's leadership style and handling of district resources. The letter released last March alleged Wright — who joined the district in 2022 — used fear and intimidation to control employees and has repeatedly ignored union negotiations.
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Those same leaders say a year later, things have only gotten worse and they're calling for the school board to act.
"Our hope is that the board listens to us very closely and understands what we're saying," Jeff Chrystal, member of the Cincinnati Association of Administrators and Supervisors (CAAS) said. "We can see no way out of this unless we get a new leader."
Currently, Wright and the school board are working to close a budget gap caused by the loss of pandemic emergency relief funds, which are set to end later this year.
Wright says over the past several months the district has been reaching out to staff and community members for input on what the district should cut and try to keep. Still, some have criticized how she's handled the budget process, saying she's ignored recommendations from employees.
The school board made progress on closing the budget gap to start the year, but that progress has largely stalled since March as the board struggles to get on the same page with Wright and the administration on adequate options to close the gap.
Michael Turner, president of the CAAS, says the ongoing budget process has highlighted issues with Wright's leadership style, which has rubbed many in the district the wrong way.
"I think she passionately cares about kids, but it's a style issue, and this is something that we've addressed repeatedly," Turner told WVXU.
In a statement, Wright says she was disappointed in the outcome of the votes of confidence in her leadership, but wants to continue to work with the unions to find solutions.
"Since March 2023, I have met with union leadership, requested their voice and input in our district decisions and asked for ongoing feedback," she writes in her statement. "I have accepted and addressed those concerns. Until two weeks ago, when the unions reached out directly to the board, I believed we were having an open and honest dialogue and building the trust necessary to move our district forward."
The vote of no confidence does not require Wright to step down or force the school board to act, but union leaders say their unanimous votes send a strong message to the board.
The board's next meeting is Wednesday at 4 p.m.