To the South Dearborn Community School Corporation Board of School Trustees:

We are asking the South Dearborn School Board to listen to the people they were elected to represent.

Our schools are about our students, teachers, staff, families, and community—not one individual in administration.

Since Superintendent Ron Ross officially took the position on July 1, 2024, many members of our South Dearborn community have watched experienced and dedicated employees leave, concerns about staff treatment grow, and trust in district leadership decline.

At this point, we cannot remain silent.

WE STAND WITH PRINCIPAL KYLE MILLER
One of the clearest examples of why change is needed is the recent suspension of Principal Kyle Miller.

Principal Miller is a respected educator and leader who has dedicated herself to South Dearborn students and families.

We believe she did not deserve to be suspended.

We believe she was doing her job, advocating for her school, and standing up for what she believed was right for her students and staff.

Her suspension has sent a disturbing message throughout our community:

What happens when a respected school leader does not simply conform to the superintendent's expectations?

We should not be punishing people for having a voice.

We should not be pushing away leaders who care about our children.

And we should not allow a dedicated principal to become another name on the growing list of good people who have been lost from South Dearborn.

We stand with Principal Kyle Miller.

We ask the school board to stand with her, too.

We ask the board to reconsider the circumstances surrounding her suspension and take whatever action is necessary to ensure that she is treated fairly and that her dedication to South Dearborn students is recognized.

WHERE ARE ALL OF OUR STAFF GOING?
Since July 2024, South Dearborn has experienced what many in our community believe is an alarming loss of employees.

It is estimated that more than 150 employees have left the corporation, including longtime staff members who devoted years—even decades—to South Dearborn.

In one month alone, there were reportedly 16 resignations.

When that many people are leaving, our elected school board should be asking:

WHY?

Why are experienced teachers and staff members walking away?

Why are people who have spent decades serving South Dearborn choosing to leave?

What are employees saying during exit interviews?

What is being done to address the concerns?

Instead, many community members feel that these warning signs have been ignored.

High employee turnover should never be treated as normal.

It should be a reason for our school board to stop, listen, investigate, and take action.

STAFF DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE SPEAKING UP
We have heard concerns from current and former employees about a culture of fear, intimidation, retaliation, and threats.

We have heard concerns about employees being demeaned or made to feel uncomfortable.

We have heard concerns from female employees who do not feel respected or comfortable in their interactions with district leadership.

We have seen parents, former employees, retired employees, substitutes, and volunteers reportedly banned or restricted from school property.

These concerns deserve to be taken seriously.

Employees should not have to choose between speaking up about something they believe is wrong and keeping their job.

Teachers and staff should be able to disagree professionally without fearing retaliation.

Our schools should be places where people feel respected, valued, and safe.

THE SCHOOL BOARD MUST DO ITS JOB
Our school board members were elected to represent us.

They are responsible for providing oversight and holding district leadership accountable.

They should not simply approve whatever is placed in front of them.

They should ask questions.

They should demand answers.

They should listen to employees.

They should listen to parents.

They should listen to students and community members.

And when something clearly isn't working, they should have the courage to say so.

A school board should never become a rubber stamp for the administration.

If dozens upon dozens of employees are leaving, the board should want to know why.

If respected educators are being disciplined or suspended, the board should want to know why.

If parents and community members are raising concerns, the board should listen.

Our elected officials have a responsibility to us.

THIS IS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SOUTH DEARBORN
This petition isn't about attacking one person.

It isn't about politics.

It isn't about personal grudges.

It is about our schools.

It is about the teachers who have devoted their careers to South Dearborn.

It is about the staff members who work behind the scenes every day.

It is about the principals and administrators who genuinely care about their students.

It is about the parents who trust South Dearborn with their children.

It is about the taxpayers who fund this corporation.

And most importantly, it is about our students.

We have already lost too many good people.

We cannot continue down this path.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR
We respectfully demand that the South Dearborn School Board:

1. Hold Superintendent Ron Ross accountable for his leadership and treatment of employees and community members.

2. Conduct a thorough review of the tremendous employee turnover since July 2024 and determine why so many experienced employees have left.

3. Listen to current and former employees without fear of retaliation.

4. Increase transparency between the administration, school board, employees, parents, and community.

5. Support Principal Kyle Miller and recognize that her suspension was not deserved.

6. Take immediate steps to ensure Principal Miller is treated fairly and is able to continue serving South Dearborn students and families.

7. Review the administration's disciplinary practices and ensure employees are not being punished simply for speaking up, disagreeing, or advocating for their students and schools.

8. Require meaningful accountability from district leadership.

9. And if Superintendent Ross's continued leadership is determined to be detrimental to the students, staff, and community of South Dearborn, we ask the Board to remove him from the position of Superintendent.

SOUTH DEARBORN IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR
We cannot sit back and watch our school corporation lose the people who have made South Dearborn special.

We cannot allow fear to replace trust.

We cannot allow silence to replace transparency.

We cannot allow good educators to be pushed out.

And we cannot allow our elected school board to sit quietly while our community loses confidence in district leadership.

We need to stand together.

Stand with the teachers.

Stand with the staff.

Stand with the parents.

Stand with our students.

Stand with Principal Kyle Miller.

And stand up for the future of South Dearborn Community School Corporation.

Our children deserve educators who are supported.

Our employees deserve leaders who respect them.

Our community deserves transparency.

And our school board owes us accountability.

SIGN THIS PETITION
If you believe South Dearborn deserves better leadership, greater transparency, stronger accountability, and a school board willing to stand up for its employees and community—

SIGN THIS PETITION.

Let our school board know that we are paying attention.

Let them know that our voices matter.

Let them know that South Dearborn belongs to the entire community—not just the people sitting behind the administration's desk.

Enough is enough.

We are South Dearborn.
We care about our schools.
We care about our staff.
We care about our children.
And we will not remain silent.