Robbinsdale School Board Chair Sharon Brooks resigned on February 3, 2025, following a period of controversy, where equitable funding efforts and power dynamics were called into question.
According to legal documents obtained by MSR, Brooks, a vocal advocate for student voices and district policies, continuously advocated for the board’s approval regarding funding that benefitted the district’s communities of color — to no avail. Brooks also asked the board to approve her attendance at a Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) conference held in October 2024, an event dedicated to improving the landscapes of school communities like those in our metro areas. The document shows a response dated April 29, coupled with another board member who is also Black, Helen Bassett
“We will discuss and vote for both you and Director [Helen] Bassett regarding board member travel during a time of $20 million worth of cuts and a moratorium on out-of-state, professional development travel for staff. Happy to put that on the agenda,” said Chair ReNae Bowman, who recently resigned.
Brooks was recorded requesting Chair Bowman not to “conflate the two issues or we will need to discuss the many concerns occurring in Robbinsdale Area Schools (RAS) during your tenure as chair. Such as the millions and millions and millions of dollars allocated to our district and the low, low, low academic scores as the outcome.
“Or maybe we will discuss the minimum moratorium on out of state [professional development] PD for staff vs the large amount of approved administrative travel cost that is still conducted. But not right now. My request for [professional development] PD is simple, it’s in accordance with our policy and I am following procedure,” wrote Brooks according to documentation.
Brooks was denied approval for the CUBE conference on May 20. Brooks also had her stipend reduced by $1,950 to $5,850 after being censured December 6 by the board. Despite this, she says she remained engaged in policy development until her resignation following accelerated tension that transpired after an argument on June 11 with Board Treasurer John Vento, who has also resigned.
According to the legal report, Brooks questioned why the new version of Policy 598 (Early Entrance to Kindergarten) —which had been updated on May 20, 2024 — had not been posted to the district’s website during a board meeting. Documentation confirms witness reports of Brooks asking Vento if he’s frustrated and Vento responding, “Yes, I’m fu***king frustrated.”
Brooks asked him to watch his language, and Vento proceeded to curse and yell. Brooks responded: “I am not your child, I am not your dog, and I am not your slave — watch how you are talking to me!”
According to the legal documents, former board chair ReNae Bowman provided testimony in Vento’s favor.
In Brooks’ resignation letter, she stated, “It has been my sincere pleasure to serve as a school board director for the wonderful students of the Robbinsdale Area Schools, District 281. Agenda topics regarding the $20 million budget error, student academic achievement, and safety & security throughout the district must be priorities for the school board.”
Her resignation follows a contentious period on the board. Prior to her resignation, following being censured, she wrote a letter to the Brooklyn Park-Brooklyn Center Sun Post criticizing former board member John Vento. In her letter, she raised concerns about Vento’s failure to publicly apologize for explicit language used in a policy committee meeting and his lack of response to the district’s $20 million budget shortfall during his tenure as board treasurer. She noted that Vento’s apology, issued five months later, failed to address the broader fiscal issues facing the district.
A June 14, 2024, email from Brooks to the full school board further highlighted the conflict. Brooks wrote, “I am glad that Policy 598 was just posted for everyone to publicly view on our website! This was the action that I spoke in favor of doing in our Tuesday Policy Committee Meeting and John Vento was vehemently against it, unnecessarily cursing me in his argument to wait for AP 598 to be completed…”
In response, former board chair ReNae Bowman emailed Brooks on June 15, questioning her email’s intent and accusing her of violating open meeting laws. Bowman wrote, “You have sent an email to the entire board which you know is in violation of the open meeting laws regarding the Policy Committee meeting. Do you have a specific ask, or is it your intent to just disparage other board members through blind copy emails?”
Bowman also provided an eyewitness account of the June 11 meeting, asserting that Vento attempted to explain the delay in posting the policy, but Brooks became argumentative and refused to accept reasonable explanations. Bowman placed responsibility on Brooks for escalating the situation and urged her to focus on constructive efforts rather than personal disputes.
The investigation did not find sufficient evidence to categorize the incident as a physical act of aggression on behalf of Vento or to determine that his actions were motivated by Brooks’ race, gender or age. However, the racial aspect remained a significant factor in the conflict, as Brooks, a Black woman, and Vento, a White man, were central figures in the dispute.
While Vento’s conduct was deemed inappropriate, the findings concluded there was insufficient evidence to establish that his actions were racially motivated.
These developments raise broader questions about power dynamics, race and conflict within the Robbinsdale School Board. The findings suggest a complex interplay of communication breakdowns, personal grievances, and institutional challenges, with both directors contributing to the confrontation. The resolution of the investigation will likely have lasting implications for board relations and accountability.
Adding to the district’s challenges, last October, S&P Global Ratings downgraded Robbinsdale Area Schools’ credit rating from ‘A-‘ to ‘BBB’ due to financial deterioration, weak financial management, and projected budget deficits. This downgrade signals potential financial instability, leading to higher borrowing costs and reduced resources for students.
If the district’s financial outlook continues to decline, further downgrades could impact funding for school programs and services.
“We just heard about your bond rating,” said Nick Waldspurger of Squires, Waldspurger & Mace, P.A. “In 30 years, I’ve never heard an auditor comment on a bond rating because of interpersonal dynamics among school board members.”
“I have a concern about where this is headed,” Waldspurger continued. “It’s headed to litigation. Guess what’s going to happen in litigation? You’re not going to have insurance coverage, because you’re going to be found to be not acting in good faith.”
Board Member Helen Bassett expressed concerns about the accuracy of the report’s implications. “From my view, this board and the district have a lot of work to do to regain credibility,” Bassett said. “The only way to do that is by being honest, open, and transparent.”
“On the matter of this report,” Bassett continued, “I am ready to move forward, but not without stating publicly that some of the comments made in the report were assertions that were not true.”
Bassett also raised due process concerns, stating that she was not interviewed on key issues and was not given access to statements made about her before they were published. “That’s not due process in anybody’s world,” she asserted.
A female colleague of Bassett’s was allegedly accosted during a district business meeting by a male board member in what has been described as a vulgar and threatening manner, according to public records obtained by MSR.
“The shameful behavior was unchallenged in that moment, except as requested to stop by the victim,” Bassett wrote. “As I contemplate the ramifications of this behavior, my mind is grappling with the implications for the culture, climate, and ethical framework of those who condone such behavior.
MSR reached out to board members Greta Evans-Becker, Caroline Long, ReNae Bowman, Aviva Hillenbrand, and Kim Holmes for comment, and received no response.
Clint Combs is a contributor to the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. Find him on Twitter @Combs0294. You can also send Combs news tips on the Signal app @Combs0294.