The Courier's Betrayal of Public Trust: Deliberate Coverup of the FFE Investigation Scandal

Putting Their Thumb on the Scale

The Courier's recent publishing history reveals a calculated strategy to bury damning information about FCS leadership. They've rolled out a coordinated series of pro-FCS pieces: Superintendent Hatton's self-serving "Community at a crossroads" editorial (408 words), Publisher Jeremy Speer's supportive column urging voters to "choose wisely" (by which he means vote yes, 745 words), and Findlay-Hancock County Alliance President Dan Sheaffer's "Yes to May 6 levy" editorial (399 words).

When I attempted submit an editorial and provide documented evidence contradicting the administration's claims of transparency and accountability, Editor Jeremy Speer demanded I cut the rebuttal to 350 words—effectively censoring critical information from reaching their readers.

Documented Evidence Rejected Along with Editorial

An opinion piece wasn’t all that was submitted to The Courier—extensive documentation to support every claim in the editorial was also included. These weren't speculative assertions but statements backed by FCS' own documents obtained through public information requests.

The submission included:

• Legal invoices from Scott Scriven LLP related to the FFE investigation

• Kevin Manley's complete rebuttal letter, submitted May 9, 2024

• References to relevant Ohio Revised Code sections

• Email communications with FCS Board Members

By rejecting this fully documented editorial, The Courier wasn't just limiting word count—it was refusing to publish verifiable facts that came directly from FCS’ own records.

The Unprinted Editorial: What The Courier Refused to Print

The editorial didn't argue against the levy itself but questioned whether the current administration could be trusted with additional taxpayer funds given their documented pattern of inconsistent statements. The Courier isn't simply engaging in editorial discretion; they’re deliberately suppressing information the public has a right to know.

Among the key points The Courier refused to let readers see:

• Misrepresentation of investigation costs: While Dr. Hatton claimed the FFE investigation cost $11,089, actual legal invoices show $24,462 spent in December alone—more than double the publicly stated amount.

• Destruction of public records: Administrators deleted emails about the FFE investigation from 215 staff accounts and falsely claimed they had "immediately quarantined" these communications, likely violating Ohio Revised Code §149.351.

• Concealment of critical information: The district suppressed Kevin Manley's detailed rebuttal to the investigation findings and misrepresented the timeline of events surrounding his departure. When Manley formally requested his rebuttal "be attached to all copies of the January 15, 2024, Investigator's report," the administration ignored this reasonable request.

• Financial inconsistency: Despite claimed budget constraints, the district replaced FFE director Kevin Manley (salary: $91,000) with two directors at a combined salary of $180,000, plus $32,000 for an external pianist—a 120% increase in cost.

The editorial’s conclusion wasn't that the levy should fail, but that "before entrusting additional tax dollars to this administration, perhaps voters should demand evidence that 'transparency' and 'accountability' aren't just campaign slogans."

Even Paid Advertising Blocked

When Speer imposed his 350-word limit on the rebuttal, I requested advertising rates for a full-page ad, explicitly stating the intention to publish "the editorial, my initial email to you, your response, and the current reply you're reading" as a paid advertisement in The Courier. If The Courier wouldn't allow balanced coverage in their editorial pages, I am willing to pay to show readers exactly how the newspaper is suppressing critical information and dissenting views.

More than a week later, the request remains ignored. The Courier appears unwilling to accept even paid advertising that might expose FCS administrators claims.

This isn't just editorial discretion; it's a comprehensive strategy to control what information the community can access.

Systematically Suppressing Critical Information

My communication with Jeremy Speer laid bare his newspaper's refusal to cover significant aspects of the FFE investigation:

• The district lied about investigation costs, claiming $11,089 when legal invoices show more than double that amount ($24,462) for December alone

• Administrators potentially violated state law by deleting emails from 215 staff accounts

• Kevin Manley's comprehensive point-by-point rebuttal to the investigation has been buried by administrators and FCS School Board, even after Manley insisted his rebuttal be appended to the FFE Investigation report.

Despite these documents being publicly available on FFEFile.com—a resource that has drawn over 83,000 visits with substantial reader engagement (average visit duration of 4 minutes 37 seconds compared to the industry average of 45 seconds to 2 minutes for news sites)—The Courier has chosen to ignore this information entirely.

Manufacturing a False Reality

The Courier's latest article about FFE's Orlando performance is perhaps their most transparent attempt to rewrite history. The overly laudatory language coupled with their selective reporting creates the illusion that everything is back to normal, deliberately omitting important context: for the first time since 1986, FFE didn’t win a single Grand Champion title all year. This historic decline is the direct result of the very administrative failures The Courier is aiding FCS administrators by concealing.

The Courier Has Forgotten Its Purpose

The fundamental compact between a local newspaper and its community is broken when that paper transforms from a watchdog into a lapdog. The Courier has made its choice—to serve as the mouthpiece of the school administration rather than fulfill its obligation to report the news fully and fairly.

Readers of The Courier are being deliberately manipulated through selective information as they prepare to vote on a significant question related to FCS. Meanwhile, The Courier continues to shield administrators from accountability for their documented misconduct and misrepresentations.

This isn't journalism—it's complicity in a coverup. The Courier has betrayed its readers and abandoned the principles that make local newspapers the guardians of community trust.