Rootstown investigation left a ‘sense of helplessness,’ critics say

Rootstown Board of Education President Amanda Waesch speaks to Rootstown residents during a community forum at Northeast Ohio Medical University on Oct. 11. The forum, called Critical Conversations, aims to heal the community after the handling of reported racism on the high school football team compelled residents to questions the school district’s values. Michael Indriolo/The Portager

Rootstown investigation left a ‘sense of helplessness,’ critics say

- Michael Indriolo

Earlier this month, Kevin Kaut, a neuroscientist at the University of Akron, applied to fill one of two vacancies on the Rootstown Board of Education. He believed this was his chance to be part of a change in the community he felt was long overdue.

Two weeks later, he withdrew his application. Certain members of the board, he had heard, would not entertain his candidacy because of his pointed criticism of the board’s response to racism on the high school football team.

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