Its been a year that I think well all be happy to forget at some point. Candidates were given a list of questions by the League of Women Voters, with topics to consider. On Saturday, a video emerged in which former Goshen School Board President John Gray. He went on to say that the board has let its constituents down and that the system needs a reset, as evidenced by the referendum, which has says was based on incorrect data. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The only school below Goshen is Elkhart. attempt to meet up with who he thought was an 11-year-old girl, Former Brown County Sheriff's Deputy arrested on child porn charges, Butler County man faces multiple child sex abuse charges including rape of a 4-year-old, Child sex abuse survivors beg Ohio lawmakers to eliminate statute of limitations. 240315. It is my opinion that a teacher is more likely to stay within a school system if they have the resources they need and are supported, validated, and appreciated, she said. Gray resigned from the Board the following day. Enriching our World. I have lots of family that have been a part of the community and Goshen Community Schools so I have a vested interest in whats happening with the school and the community, he said. Goshen School Board President John Gray resigned after admitting to driving two hours to meet up with an 11 year old girl. GOSHEN Two Goshen Community School board members will bid their seats farewell this fall, while a third hopes to return for a second term. Questions came from teachers, parents, and the community, and included controversial topics being addressed on social media in recent months. Hope, who was first hired back in 2017 as a deputy superintendent, has been serving as interim superintendent for the district since July 1, filling the role left vacant by former GCS Superintendent Diane Woodworth, who retired in June. John Kline can be reached at john.kline@goshennews.com or 574-533-2151, ext. I will be steadfast in ensuring that all curriculum brought to the board is free of agenda and is full of fact-over-fiction, he said. They want whats best for the students, and they want to spend money responsibly. A deeper look into the Goshen School Board candidates. The video soon went viral on social media. Its a fine line of power between parents and teachers, McKee said. Schirch is employed as an interpreter and translator for several agencies and has been a professor at Goshen College. JOHN GRAY RESIGNED GRAY LTEF BEFORE HIS TERM WAS UP AFTER DISTURBING ALLEGATIONS SURFADCE WHEN A VIDEO WAS POSTED ONLINE. I am glad he resigned but even that seems to be having backlash with the people. I dont like the fact that weve spent $100 million since 2018 on buildings and our kids are still in a system where scores are in the bottom 50% of the state. Chad Puterbaugh, an investigator with the Randolph County Sheriff's Office said he believes the FBI in Ohio is investigating Gray. I feel for the students who are not Christians, Elizalde said. Paprocki was sworn into office during the regular Board of Education meeting held at the Goshen High School Community Room. I told her, Youre a minor. A lifelong resident of Goshen and graduate, along with his wife, of Goshen Community Schools, Roeder has sparked controversy as a candidate due to his conservative takes on many topics. I have a philosophy: if you see something that needs to be changed, then its more effective if you step to do something rather than to complain to your friends at dinner.. He has not yet been charged with anything. He says he and the girl were going to watch a movie and snuggle and that he wanted to make her feel special.. TORRINGTON - A Goshen man armed with one of his seven firearms who fired shots during a tense confrontation with his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend Wednesday night was held overnight on $175,000 bond . Like Hartman, he suggested that the district has neglected education, resulting in, he said, only of students in 3rd-8th passing proficiency exams in math and English. We hope that they are all fighting for the same thing: the success of kids they are raising and teaching. ), Saatva's Memorial Day Mattress Sale Is Still Going Save 20% With Our Exclusive Code. Nobody has to tell me that. In the video, Gray is seen being detained by law enforcement. They dont want to be turned into pawns to vote to whatever political viewpoint that we have thats a group in the area.. Follow John on Twitter @jkline_TGN. The two moved to Goshen in 2004, where all three of their children attended and graduated from Goshen Community Schools. Gray equivocates in his responses. All rights reserved. Maria Sanchez Schirch is the new representative for District 2, which includes much of the central city. If you really immerse yourself, its very time-consuming. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Goshen Local Schools board president John Gray . You learn a lot of things. Hurry! Public schools are being attacked, and are being pushed with a specific agenda that is not conducive to the future of a diverse community. We need to work on test scores while acknowledging our schools unique challenges.. Roeder also spoke to the voters regarding one topic hes brought before the board before, recounting his uncomfortable experience with lack of transparency from the board. There was a problem saving your notification. At the end of the video, Gray initially lied about being on the school board, and then admitted he was. Members of the group pose as children online and chat with people in an attempt to identify child predators. I love the fact that we have the best in the state in our music and sports programs. As a school board member, I would hope to open avenues of communication so that each side can work together transparently.. Roeder is a unique candidate in the school board race in that his own children were, for the most part, homeschooled, although they did attend some high school classes as part of their homeschooled education. One of the women acted as the decoy 11-year-old, and in the confrontation, pretended to be the mother of the daughter in question to get Gray to talk. Copyright 2022 WXIX. I fear debates about pushing an agenda that is solely Christian.. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. There are changes that need to be made, McKee said. Replacing Goodman will be former Goshen mayor Allan Kauffman, who defeated Goodman for the seat in the Nov. 3 election. We as parents have a primary interest in the education of our children.. He served as Secretary of the board for the last two years. GOSHEN Felipe Merino hopes to close the gap between the percentage of Latino students and staff at Goshen Community Schools. SHA THE VERY LATEST TONIGHT THE GOSHEN SCHOOL BOARD VOTING TO APPROVE AEW N MEMBER IN THE FIRST MEETING SINCE FORMER PRESIDENT. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). Published: Apr. Goshen Local Schools board president resigned on Sunday after a "deeply disturbing" video was posted online, according to Goshen Local Schools Superintendent Darrell Edwards. A volunteer of Goshen Community Schools since his own high school graduation, Goodman is the treasurer of the Goshen High School Building Trades program, teaches Junior Achievement, was on the board when GCS superintendent Steve Hope was selected, and he says being on the board helps him to connect with parents and teachers. GOSHEN, Ohio (WXIX) - The Goshen Local Schools board president resigned Sunday after an incident occurred in Indiana, according to a statement released by Goshen Local Schools. But when I look at the student population, which is 54% and growing Latino, no one has to tell me, I dont have to read it on a piece of paper, I know what its like to come to school not knowing a single word of English. "Looks like an email bot/phishing/malware??" He explained that to him, that doesnt only mean salary and benefits, but moreover community and staff support, encouraging the newest ways to teach. There are so many topics that society are hurling at our kids at lightning speed that its hard for all of us to keep up, she said. According. John Gray resigned from his position on Sunday. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WLWT-TV. He also served as District 2 City Council member, at-large City Council member, and was a member of the Goshen Board of Public Works and Safety. For space reasons, this article has been trimmed for the print version to allow for one quote from each candidate. I felt like this was a good opportunity to support the community and the school.. In the midst of all the craziness, we still need to work to improve schools with, sometimes, inadequate dollars funded by the state. ", Casey: "It is crazy. See a spelling or grammar error in our story? A lifelong resident of Goshen, a former small business owner, and former clerk-treasurer for the City of Goshen, Angie McKee is also running for the District 1 seat. Can we do better? She has been involved in the community in various volunteer opportunities and her passion for the Goshen community and students is evident. The Randolph County Sheriffs Department, the Farmland Police Department and the Parker City Police Department, show up toward the end of the video, and the officers do detain Gray in handcuffs, and search his vehicle. Our district leaders will be consulting with legal counsel and should more information become available, we will communicate it to our families immediately., Edwards added, Due to the fact that this is an ongoing investigation, we have no other comments at this time.. As for the school board position, Hartman believes she can bring about that change. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Roeder took his concerns with the book to the board, and they formed, he said a secret committee, where they made a decision against banning the book. It has not been perfect. Gray resigned from the Board the following day. John Gray, the board president for the Goshen Local Schools Board of Education, was caught on film by Predator Catchers Indianapolis in Indiana on April 23, 2022, attempting to meet an 11-year-old girl. We see a tremendous drop in 2014 in all Elkhart County schools. I cannot push my religious agenda on anyone, especially the kids of my neighbors and Im very concerned as well that when people say dont bring an agenda to the school, this is exactly what is happening. In the video, Gray admits to driving from the Cincinnati area to Farmland, Indiana in Randolph County to cuddle and watch movies with the young girl. I never intended to run for any public office, but my reasons for running for school board are pretty simple: I believe our public schools are foundational to our society, as are our teachers who take care of our children.. On the east side of the Elkhart River the district extends generally north to Plymouth Avenue and south to take in the Waterford Crossing subdivision. John Gray, school board president in his fifth term, resigned from the Board on April 24, following the publication of the video the day prior. Our district leaders will be consulting with legal counsel and should more information become available, we will communicate it to our families immediately. On Monday, the Board of Education conducted an interview process of all 13 candidates who . My wife is from Africa, my sons from Africa. Ive been lucky that Ive got two girls in school and so Ive been to all kinds of events over the last four years, from music events to sporting events, band competitions, art things downtown. They took him to a hospital for evaluation, and he complied willingly, police say. We are not him and we need to be treated as such. You have permission to edit this article. He also admitted to chatting about a fashion show that involved the girl stripping down to her bra and panties. Public schools are being attacked.. On Monday, Chief Deputy Ken Hendrickson said investigating is in the early stages. District 4 consists of the area south of College Avenue in Elkhart Township and extending to the Harrison and Jackson township lines to the west and south. To be clear, Saturday's incident occurred outside of the Goshen Local School district. Education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. Debates about inclusivity and curriculum have become toxic and unproductive. James Ramer. Parents, too should have a voice, she said. I was prepared for life after graduation and I want to ensure the same for future generations.. The women persist, keeping him talking, to where Gray admits that he volunteered to the decoy that they could make out. Our current board has been a little bit ineffective in implementing policies that ensure student success, she said. Less than an hour before Goshen school board president John Gray appeared in a child sex sting video online, board member Deborah Gray texted the superintendent. On Monday, the Board of Education conducted an interview process of all 13 candidates who submitted an application and chose Melissa Paprocki to fill the vacancy. Our kids deserve a safe place to learn, not to be bullied, and to know that a teacher cares for them, knowing that they have their back, while parents know that they have theirs, too.. They are further evidence of long-time systemic failures that were exasperated by the pandemic, Glick said. As a parent, alumni, business owner, and taxpayer, I believe its time for a change in leadership on our school board level.. He kept repeating that she was starving for sex, and attention. I own my own business. We need to spend those dollars in the most productive way possible. Herrera wrote, and texted Edwards a screenshot of his email inbox with subject lines reading "Your John?" We cant possibly jump on every educational bandwagon. All rights reserved (About Us). Randolph County sheriff's Capt. The parents have done what they can to support it as well. Discussions about banning books and wild accusations about our teachers have become intolerable. Before he resigned Sunday, Deborah Gray, who is not related to the former board president,texted superintendent Edwards again. Gray was the subject of a video posted online by a group called "Predator Catchers Inc.". I was a pastor of the Mennonite church for over 15 years, he said. Our teachers are trained, professional, and they deserve to be treated and compensated as such.. We are just as stunned and angry as everyone else! During the confrontation, Gray admitted to telling the girl that she had "kissable lips.". But the leadership that weve had, and the support that weve had, all the way down to the building level has been fantastic, he added of the work. At the time the video was posted Saturday evening, John Gray was serving his fifth term on the school board. MELISSA PAPARAKI WILL NOW SERVE FOR THE REMAINDER OF GRAYS TERM IN A STATEMENT. Garber, too is a graduate of Goshen Community Schools, with a daughter at the high school, and a wife who taught at Goshen schools for over 20 years. He also stated hes 55-years-old, although other records indicate hes 60-years-old. In a statement posted on its website, the district said, "A video posted Saturday evening on YouTube shows John Gray, Goshen Local Schools board president, b. You called her pretty, correct? One among the group poses. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Theyre going to immerse themselves and be part of the solution the goal is obviously to make Goshen the school of choice.. She added that teachers need to be paid well so the district can not only recruit, but retain the best. Brynn Shoup-Hill Becomes All-Time Scoring Leader for GHS Girls Basketball. My love for Goshen Community Schools and professional experience make me an ideal candidate that can bring real impact to our school system. Gray did not respond. Have you ever attended the Indianapolis 500? Im interested because I believe that education is essential for a communitys development, especially in an intercultural community.. I know there are challenges ahead for Goshen schools, he admitted. Johnson is the third District 1 candidate. 30 May 2023 22:30:06 Have you ever attended the Indianapolis 500? Elizaldes son is a sophomore at Boston Conservatory and said his passion for music was born in Goshen Community Schools. Visit: The Goshen Local Schools Board of Education president has resigned following video of him allegedly attempting to pick-up an 11-year-old in Indiana was streamed to YouTube over the weekend. April 24, 2022 at 11:40 PM In a statement posted on its website, the district said, "A video posted Saturday evening on YouTube shows John Gray, Goshen Local Schools board president, being. Shortly after Gray's resignation, Goshen Local Schools called the content of the video "deeply disturbing to our entire school district and Goshen Local School community.". The video, according to a Goshen Township police report, showed Gray on Saturday evening at a store in Randolph County, Indiana, approached by several people who claim to be involved with a child predator sting group out of Muncie affiliated with Predator Catchers Indianapolis. In business, most people do not leave a job because of the pay, they leave because of the job because of management or administration.. Allan Kauffman, former. A local school board in Ohio announced on Sunday that board president John Gray resigned after a video posted online shows Gray being handcuffed by sheriff's deputies in Indiana. I want to be a part of that change.. As of this writing, no charges have been filed against Gray in either Indiana or Ohio. I mean, theres no way I would have sex with a 12-year-old girl, Gray said, when the trio started turning the conversation more confrontational. I wanted to give back, he explained of his decision to run. There are some topics that are better suited to be addressed by the parents, and others to be addressed by teachers. Right now, hes representing District 3, but a recent move changed his position so hes running at-large now. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. WLWT Channel 5 reports police in Goshen searched Grays home on Monday and that he was taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. Our kids can think for themselves once they are adults, but when theyre minors theyre under our care and we should be protecting them from dangers things that present sex as recreational. 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