The board was in agreement with Clair on having the independent committee work within a closed-meeting format,'' she said. The committee has a July 15 deadline to recommend reforms. Muscaro announced the creation of the committee last month on the day that The Dispatch launched a four-day series on the association. The investigation revealed possibly illegal and unethical practices involving travel, cellphone use, meals and other expenses by some of the association's 36 district board members. Closing the committee's meetings was a decision made without input from its 12 members, who include representatives of education- related groups, the state auditor's office and the Ohio Department of Education as well as two lawmakers, two principals and a parent of an athlete.
Members are from different parts of Ohio.
Anthony Smith, a committee member who is principal of Taft High School in Cincinnati, said he has no problem meeting in open sessions. My life has been an open book since I came on board. It doesn't make a difference to me one way or another,'' the Wooster Republican said. We were not involved in that decision-making. But some other committee members think that closed sessions are a good idea.