1 Alpena Public Schools

2 Statement by the Board of Education

3 Regular Board Meeting
4 August 17, 2020
5
6
7Michigan law requires that this Board act only as a Board. Only the vote of a majority of
8this Board’s members creates action by this Board.  Under Section 1201 of the Revised
9School Code, we as trustees are only to exercise our power and perform our duties as
10trustees when doing so collectively and only at a regular or a properly called special
11meeting.
12
13Because Michigan law requires that we act as a Board, and only act collectively, we are
14concerned regarding the community’s interpretation of recent actions of trustee Steven
15Donajkowski, a single member of our seven-member Board. Email messages have
16been received from seventeen individuals in the community, addressed to the Board’s
17president or to each of the Board’s trustees. Each message expresses considerable
18concern regarding the content of Mr. Donajkowski’s recent posts on Facebook.
19
20We appreciate trustee Donajkowski’s leadership and contributions to this Board;
21however, we declare that his recent actions are not the actions of the entire Board of
22Education of Alpena Public Schools, and his actions do not reflect the beliefs or
23opinions of the entire Board.
24
25Mr. Donajkowski has shared with the Board that he believes his actions did not violate
26any of the Board’s policies. He has indicated that he does not intend to resign from the
27Board, nor does he plan to withdraw as a candidate in the November election.
28
29We believe that Mr. Donajkowski, through his posts on Facebook, has unintentionally
30violated the following Board policy:
31 0143.1 - B. “…Postings to social media should be done in a manner sensitive to the
32Board member's responsibilities, applicable District policies, and legal obligations.”
33
34We wish to make it clear that individual members of this Board hold the power of and
35express their opinions and beliefs as individual community members and that such
36expressions of opinions and beliefs by an individual should not be construed as
37expressions of opinions, beliefs or actions of the entire Board. 
38
39The Board’s president “functions as the official spokesperson for the Board.” (policy
400143.1 – Public Expression of Board Members, Introduction).
41
42Board policy 0142.6 states – “Any member of the Board may be recalled pursuant to M.
43C. L. 168.195 et. Seq.” It becomes the responsibility of the voters of the district to
44initiate the process to recall one or more of the Board’s trustees.
45
46We understand the impact of creating, distributing and consuming through all
47technologies including social media. We, as trustees of the Board of Education of
48Alpena Public Schools, commit to using social media responsibly. The Board’s
49trustees, when acting as individual citizens of our community, will consider the
50ramifications of our actions as individuals when using social media and direct
51communication with the general public.
52
53We hereby commit, as outlined in our Draft Resolution to Commitment of Reduction of
54Racism, Discrimination and Other Inequities within Alpena Public Schools, to
55participation in one or more awareness/sensitivity/diversity training sessions as we
56move forward. We further commit to encourage the APS administrative teams,
57bargaining unit members, staff and volunteers to jointly participate.
58
59
60_____________________________ ________________________________
61 Gordon Snow, President Stacey Parr, Vice President
62
63_____________________________ ________________________________
64 Mike Barnett, Treasurer Steven Donajkowski, Trustee
65
66_____________________________ ________________________________
67 Ned Heath, Trustee Tom Hilberg, Trustee
68
69_____________________________
70 Keri Johns, Trustee