Alum sues Findlay City Schools

FINDLAY — A civil complaint was recently filed against Findlay City Schools, claiming the district failed to comply with the Ohio Public Records Act. Plaintiff John R. Eakin, a 2006 graduate of Findlay High School, filed the lawsuit in Hancock County Common Pleas Court after multiple attempts were made to acquire records relating to a "recently concluded investigation" by the school district, according to court records. In an email to The Courier, Eakin wrote he had been pressing school officials since January for information about the 2023 Findlay First Edition choir program investigation. Eakin said he had not yet received any documents from the district since filing a formal public information request on Feb. 5. Via the civil complaint, Eakin is requesting the court order Findlay City Schools to provide the information he requested, to develop and implement a system to ensure "timely and complete" compliance with all future public records requests and impose any penalties or fines as provided under Ohio law for noncompliance of the records request. The public records Eakin asked for regard Findlay City Schools' 2023 investigation into Findlay First Edition show choir, during which the district put the group's director Kevin Manley on leave. Manley was placed on paid administrative leave in November 2023 after concerns were shared with the district about student misconduct occurring on and off-campus. He was brought back as director on Dec. 21, 2023. The nearly two-month probe, during which the district hired Educational Services Center of Central Ohio to investigate the program, resulted in Manley being formally reprimanded in January for failure to provide proper supervision to his students. Manley's letter of resignation was accepted at a Findlay City School Board of Education meeting on April 22. He has worked for 32 years in the school district.