Uncovering the Truth: The Findlay First Edition Investigation
Dear Reader,
What began as a quest for answers in January 2024, with a letter from myself and my father, has evolved into an exposé of a scheme that appears designed to protect its own interests at the expense of truth and the well-being of students and staff.
The Findlay City Schools administration has propagated a narrative of collaboration and impartiality regarding the FFE investigation that their own documents reveal to be fundamentally false. FCS Board President Chris Aldrich's emphatic claim of an "unbiased investigation" now stands in stark contrast to the facts, representing either a profound failure of oversight or a deliberate attempt to mislead the community. Our exhaustive review of over 2,600 documents provides incontrovertible evidence that not only contradicts this assertion but raises serious questions about the integrity of the entire investigative process.
The initial disclosures we received, ostensibly professional in nature, have proven to be merely the tip of an iceberg of obfuscation. It was only through our application of legal precedent that we compelled the release of more candid communications. These revelations paint a stark picture of an administration engaged in a coordinated effort to shape the Findlay First Edition investigation to serve interests other than those of truth and transparency.
The disparity between the administration's public statements and their private actions is not merely disappointing – it is a matter of grave concern. It casts a long shadow over the integrity of the entire investigative process and subsequent administrative decisions. This goes beyond simple misjudgment; it represents a fundamental breach of the public trust placed in these educational leaders.
For months, Findlay City Schools engaged in a calculated campaign of delays, legal maneuvers, and outright obstruction to prevent the release of information pertaining to their investigation into Kevin Manley and the Findlay First Edition show choir.
Our legal approach further exposed the administration's hypocrisy, setting a precedent that would render their own FFE investigation report insufficient by the same standards they attempted to use against us.
Their actions begged the question: What were they so desperate to hide?
It is imperative to note that our public records request should have, by law, encompassed all materials pertinent to the FFE investigation, save for those protected by specific legal exemptions. Findlay City Schools' response, by their own assertion, was intended to fulfill all legally disclosable information. Thus, we are led to conclude that the materials presented herein represent the complete body of existing documentation related to this investigation.
The materials released by Findlay City Schools in July, in response to my request, reveal at best a level of incompetence that should alarm every parent, teacher, and taxpayer in the district. At its most benign interpretation, it demonstrates a level of administrative incompetence that is deeply troubling. At its worst, it suggests a calculated effort to mislead the entire community.
This leaves us with a critical question that demands immediate address: To what extent was the Board of Education aware of or involved in these actions? The implications of either their complicity or their ignorance are profound and necessitate swift, decisive action to restore the integrity of our school district's governance.
As you review this report, I urge you to approach it with the gravity it deserves. The depth and breadth of the issues uncovered here demand not just our attention but our action. This document lays bare the facts that Findlay City Schools fought so vigorously to keep from public view. It reveals a pattern of misinformation, questionable decision-making, and what appears to be a systemic abuse of power that undermines the very foundations of trust upon which our educational system must be built.
The time has come for accountability and reform. Findlay deserves no less.
Signed,
John R. Eakin