Election could reshape ‘dysfunctional’ Robbinsdale school board

Voters in Robbinsdale will have a chance in November to elect up to three new members to a school board that the district lawyer has deemed “the most dysfunctional board” he’s ever worked with.

A 34-page workplace conduct investigation, released last month, included a similar summary of the current Robbinsdale school board: Personal disputes and cross-complaints among at least six of the seven board members resulted in “a high level of dysfunction and animosity in the school board’s operations,” read the investigative report by Red Cedar Consulting.

Most of the allegations in the report were not sustained. Of those that were sustained, most qualified as violations of the board’s internal values of respect.

Seven candidates are now vying for three open seats on that board. Six of them — Barbara Breher, Greta Evans-Becker, Aviva Hillenbrand, Aileen White, Deborah Campion and Kenneth Wutoh — say moving past that discord would be their top priority if elected.

“We didn’t need an investigator to let us know that we were dysfunctional,” said Evans-Becker, the other incumbent running to keep her seat. “A lot of harm has been done, but we have to move past it.”

Evans-Becker was the only board member who wasn’t named in the multiple complaints included in the investigative report.

Helen Bassett, who is running to keep the seat she’s held since 2021 did not respond to requests for an interview.

Robbinsdale Area Public Schools has about 10,400 students and serves all or parts of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, New Hope, Plymouth and Robbinsdale. Its current superintendent, Teri Staloch, took on the role in July after a failed superintendent search to replace David Engstrom, who resigned in September 2023.

An August board meeting to discuss the investigation’s findings devolved into back-and-forth accusations, both old and new, and two motions to censure members. By the end, Board Member Sharon Brooks was censured on a 4-2 vote after widespread confusion about rules of order.

“I hate that our school district is now known for a dysfunctional school board as opposed to all the great things that happen,” said Hillenbrand, who works for Minneapolis Community Education. Hillenbrand has two children in Robbinsdale schools and one who graduated from the district.

White works as a data specialist in Hopkins schools and started paying attention to school board meetings when her children, now graduated, attended Robbinsdale schools. She wants to see more community involvement and conversation between families and district leaders and worries that the board dysfunction has distracted from that mission.

“I hope that the participation of people voting for school board members speaks volumes to Robbinsdale and the board that people are watching,” White said.

Campion, who is retired, said she’s “appalled” to see what’s happened to the school board and wants members to be leading conversations about district finances and improving transportation. She worked as a teacher in Australia in the late 1970s and as a substitute teacher in North Dakota before changing careers.

Breher, who works for HealthPartners in member services, agreed and said the frustration of watching the board squabble for 20 minutes about rules of order, for example, helped push her to run for a seat.

“I think some fresh ideas, fresh — and respectful conversations — are needed to move forward,” she said.

Without a functioning school board, Breher worries that enrollment will dip and the district will look less attractive to new teachers.

Wutoh, a physical therapist and parent in the district, agreed. Whether it’s one or three new faces on the board, he said he’s hopeful that the election will bring “renewed energy and focus to not make disagreements become personal.”

“The seven people at that table need to remember the main reason why they are elected to be there, which is to make sure our kids become successful.”