COMMUNITY PETITION

CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF SUPERINTENDENT DR. CHERIE
HORNER

To the Kenowa Hills Public Schools Board of Education

We, the undersigned members of the Kenowa Hills Public Schools community, including parents, guardians,
students, educators, taxpayers, alumni, and community members, respectfully call upon the Kenowa Hills
Public Schools Board of Education to seek the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Cherie Horner.

Our concerns are based on issues of transparency, accountability, conflicts of responsibility, equal
treatment, student safety, fiscal responsibility, and the loss of community confidence in district
leadership.

OUR CONCERNS

1. Concentration of Multiple Administrative Responsibilities

We are concerned that Dr. Cherie Horner currently holds multiple significant district responsibilities,
including:

• Superintendent
• Director of Human Resources
• Title IX Co-Coordinator
• FOIA Coordinator

We believe placing these responsibilities under the same individual raise's legitimate questions about 
checks and balances, independent oversight, and potential conflicts of interest, particularly when
complaints, investigations, personnel matters, Title IX issues, or public-record requests involve district
administration.

2. Year-Long Investigation and Use of Taxpayer Funds

We have serious concerns regarding a year-long investigation that community members understand cost
the district tens of thousands of dollars.

Our concerns include the:

• Length of the investigation;
• Cost to taxpayers;
• Lack of meaningful transparency regarding the investigation;
• Scope and purpose of the investigation;
• Findings and conclusions;
• Accountability resulting from the investigation; and
• District's communication with the community regarding the expenditure of public funds.

We understand that certain personnel and legal matters may be confidential under Michigan law. However,
we believe the community is entitled to appropriate transparency regarding public expenditures, district
processes, governance, and accountability, to the extent legally permitted.

3. Concerns Regarding Accountability and Conflicts of Responsibility

We are concerned that the superintendent has been able to avoid or absolve herself from consequences
related to a matter involving responsibilities she previously held.

We believe this raises serious questions about whether the review process was sufficiently independent and
whether appropriate accountability was applied consistently.

4. Concerns Regarding Targeted Treatment

Members of the community have expressed concern that the investigation and related administrative
actions may have been targeted toward specific administrators and coaches rather than being handled
through a consistent and impartial process.

We are asking the Board to independently examine whether district policies and standards were applied
consistently to all individuals involved.

5. Student Safety and Concerns Regarding a High School Strength Coach

We are also deeply concerned about allegations involving a strength coach employed at Kenowa Hills
High School.

Community members have raised concerns regarding alleged:

• Inappropriate text messages involving students;
• Inappropriate photographs or pictures involving students;
• Relationships or interactions between the coach and students that community members believe
  warrant investigation; and
• Whether appropriate administrative action has been taken in response to these concerns.

We are not asserting that these allegations have been proven.

Our concern is that allegations involving potential inappropriate communications, images, or relationships
between an adult employee and students should be handled promptly, independently, and appropriately
under district policy and applicable law.

Community members remain concerned that there has been insufficient public accountability or
explanation regarding what action, if any, has been taken.

We recognize that student privacy and personnel laws may limit what the district can publicly disclose.
Nevertheless, we believe the Board has a responsibility to ensure that concerns involving student safety are
properly investigated and that appropriate safeguards are in place.

OUR REQUEST TO THE BOARD
We respectfully request that the Kenowa Hills Public Schools Board of Education:

1. Seek the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Cherie Horner.
2. Conduct an independent review of the district's handling of the year-long investigation, including its
   cost, scope, process, findings, and accountability, to the extent legally permissible.
3. Review whether the superintendent's multiple administrative roles provide sufficient independent
   oversight and appropriate checks and balances.
4. Review whether the superintendent's involvement in matters connected to her current or previous
   responsibilities created any actual or perceived conflict of interest.
5. Independently review concerns regarding the treatment of specific administrators and coaches to
   determine whether district policies were applied consistently and fairly.
6. Ensure that allegations involving potential inappropriate communications, photographs, or
   relationships between employees and students are properly and independently reviewed, consistent
   with student privacy laws and district policy.
7. Ensure that appropriate student-safety measures are in place whenever allegations involving an
   adult employee and students are raised.
8. Provide the community with as much information as legally permissible regarding the use of
   taxpayer funds and district accountability.
9. Restore confidence in district leadership through transparency, independent oversight,
   consistent enforcement, and accountability.

COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE
NOVEMBER OPERATING MILLAGE

We also want to make our position clear regarding the November operating millage proposal.

Without our concerns being heard, addressed, and meaningfully acted upon, we will not support the
Kenowa Hills Public Schools Operating Millage Proposal on the November ballot.

Our community is being asked to place its trust—and its tax dollars—in the leadership of this school district.

Before asking taxpayers for additional financial support, we believe the district must demonstrate that it is
willing to:

• Listen to the concerns of taxpayers, parents, educators, business owners, and community members;
• Provide appropriate transparency regarding the use of taxpayer dollars;
• Address legitimate concerns regarding district leadership and accountability;
• Ensure consistent and fair treatment of employees;
• Address concerns involving student safety appropriately;
• Provide meaningful independent oversight; and
• Restore the community's trust in district leadership.

We believe financial support from the community must be accompanied by accountability from
district leadership.

Our position is not intended to harm students, teachers, programs, or the educational mission of Kenowa
Hills Public Schools.

Rather, we believe that responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds and accountable leadership are
essential to maintaining public support for our schools.

OUR MESSAGE

This petition is about accountability—not personal attacks.

We believe the students, parents, educators, taxpayers, and community members of Kenowa Hills deserve
leadership they can trust.

We believe no administrator should have unchecked authority over multiple areas involving human
resources, Title IX, public records, investigations, and district administration without strong
independent oversight.

We believe taxpayer-funded investigations deserve appropriate accountability.

We believe allegations involving student safety deserve serious, impartial, and timely attention.

And we believe every administrator, coach, teacher, and employee should be held to the same standards.

THEREFORE:

We, the undersigned members of the Kenowa Hills community, respectfully request that the Kenowa
Hills Public Schools Board of Education seek the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Cherie Horner and
take meaningful steps to restore transparency, accountability, fairness, and public trust in district
leadership.

Furthermore, without our concerns being heard and meaningfully addressed, we will not support the
Kenowa Hills Public Schools Operating Millage Proposal on the November ballot.