Ohio is among the states mentioned in a letter to President Biden from the National School Boards Association, asking for federal help in protecting board members, teachers and students against potential violence.
There are concerns being raised by schools and board members across the state about backlash from mask mandates and other issues.
The Nordonia School Board in northeast Ohio enacted a mask mandate in August, and sheriff’s deputies were called over the tension when people refused to wear masks at another meeting two weeks later.
Lynn May is the vice president of the Dublin City School Board and is running for her fifth four-year term.
“Hostility is what it is. It seems like we’ve lost our way as a country. Everyone thinks it’s ok to be nasty and mean and shout and rude and offensive. What happened to civility?” May said.
May said she’s talked to members of school boards who’ve received threatening letters.
“It seems to be organized – someone sending the same letter out to the school board president and the superintendent and we’re just turning it over, but I hope someone puts the pieces together to figure out what’s going on.”
May said she's not personally worried, but she does wonder about the impact on people who might be considering running for school boards, or who aren't as experienced as she is.
A member of the Worthington school board said some attendees displayed Nazi symbolism at a recent meeting in that district.
