Ozark school board issues 'rebuke' of member who hosted solo 'town hall' meetings

New member Christina Tonsing received what she described as a "rebuke" from the rest of the Ozark school board after hosting solo community listening sessions in May and June.

Tonsing was referring to a statement, on district letterhead, issued by the board — signed by the other six members — and read publicly at the June 29 meeting.

In the letter, the board wrote it wanted to "address the fact that a board member is conducting individual 'town hall' or group meetings with the public" and noted members have no individual authority outside of board meetings.

"Accordingly, let it be known the Ozark school board has not granted Christina Tonsing the authority to conduct any such meeting, and therefore, all liability arising out of any such meeting falls to her personally. These meetings or similar individual board meetings of any kind are not sanctioned by the Ozark Board of Education."

Tonsing, one of three members elected in April, invited the public to a two-hour "community chat" May 6 and June 3 at the public library in Ozark.

The invite stated: "Let me know how it's going with school, what things do you really like about the district, what suggestions do you have to make it better, anything you want to share."

Those unable to attend were asked to message her campaign email address, not the official board one issued by the district.

Tonsing, a longtime math teacher and co-founder of the nonprofit Gospel for Haiti, posted a three-page response to the letter on her campaign Facebook page.

She has taught math at the high school and college level, working at Glendale High School and then later at Evangel University and Ozarks Technical Community College.

She wrote, in part: "The letter issued by the board was not a disclaimer but instead a rebuke. It also contained many factual errors and distortions. The letter misnamed the listening sessions 'town halls or group meetings,' when...I was merely making myself available for anyone wanted to come by and tell me about their experiences during their school year."

She added: "I wasn't speaking nor informing anyone of anything."

In the rebuttal, Tonsing noted board president Sarah Adams Orr recently stated that each member is active in the community and attends various meetings.

"If my listening sessions were actually so dangerous as to warrant a needed board disclaimer then there is surely equal need for disclaimers to be issued for all of the other board members who also attend meetings and speak with the public."

Tonsing wrote, in her rebuttal, that "many people have reached out" with questions about the intent of the letter and how it was initiated and compiled.

In response to a request for comment from the board, Dan Ortega, director of communications for the district, said the board was not making any statements beyond the letter itself.

The letter was signed by Orr, board vice president Mark Jenkins and members Amber Bryant, Guy Callaway, Aaron Johns and Patty Quessenberry. Bryant, Callaway and Tonsing joined the board in April.

In the letter, the board majority recommended public input be sought or provided in the following ways:

• Submit communications in writing to the superintendent or board president, which is then shared with the entire board.

• Participate in the public comment period at board meetings.

• Conduct district-organized town hall meetings that include "appropriate parameters and safeguards."

• Use other avenues that are part of district's official, planned and "legally compliant" community engagement process. No examples were given.

Tonsing wrote she was not aware of the letter until minutes before it was read at the meeting.

She added that after consulting attorneys versed in education law, she is confident her listening sessions did not cross any line. She said they were not official meetings and she was only representing herself and not the board.

Tonsing wrote that concerns were raised after she posted the invite including that she might speak inappropriately, hear something that needed to be reported and fail to report it, or that her words might be twisted out of context by someone attending the sessions.

"The fears then center on the idea that the district or individual board members would be liable in some sort of lawsuit resulting in financial loss," she wrote. "Even if they were valid, the most minimal awareness of the expensive, lengthy process involved in bringing a suit — let alone a successful one — would likely calm all of those fears immediately. Regardless, they are not valid."

The News-Leader emailed Tonsing to request an interview and ask what she learned from the community during the listening sessions. She did not respond.

Tonsing appeared on the Wake up Springfield Podcast on KWTO, a conservative radio station, late last month to talk about her board service and the letter.

She said on the show that she "ran to be a voice for the parents" who want to be more engaged with how children are being educated. "I thought I should listen to them and hear what they have to say. I thought that was my duty to make myself available."

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Tonsing defended some board members who signed the letter, arguing they may not have had all of the facts in advance.

"That has been the problem for many years with our different school boards. They are not aware of everything that is happening in the district so one person or a few people can just run the show," she said. "They're just used to getting their own way. They just say what needs to be said to be convincing."

At the last meeting in July, five board members − all but Johns, who was absent − signed a follow-up letter to the community. Tonsing also signed it.

It read: "The board understands there are multiple interpretations of the letter regarding board liability and individual member sessions. The purpose of the letter was to inform the public that no one board member speaks for the whole and should not be misconstrued as to any board member acting illegally."

Claudette Riley covers education for the News-Leader. Email tips and story ideas to criley@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Ozark school board raises concerns after member hosts solo 'town hall'