Superintendent Ebony Johnson: TPS lawsuit disheartening and divisive

Speaking at a Tuesday luncheon hosted by the Tulsa Press Club at the Bramble, Johnson said she was taken aback upon finding out that she is a named defendant in a lawsuit filed Thursday in Tulsa County District Court challenging the process followed to hire her as superintendent.

“I thought I had seen a lot,” she said. “But I’ll be honest: the ‘Dr. Johnson is getting sued’ news had me going, ‘Whoa! Oh, my gosh! This is like paparazzi famous!’”

Filed on behalf of TPS board members Jennettie Marshall and E’Lena Ashley and charter school parent Aaron Griffith, the lawsuit alleges that four TPS board members, former Superintendent Deborah Gist and Johnson violated both the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act and Titles I and VI of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act through the approval of the district’s separation agreement with Gist in August and by naming Johnson superintendent on an interim basis in August and then on a permanent basis in December.

The board members named as defendants are President Stacey Woolley, Vice President John Croisant, Susan Lamkin and Diamond Marshall. Tulsa Public Schools is also listed as a defendant.

Maria Seidler, the attorney representing the three plaintiffs, is a candidate for the board’s open District 6 seat. The seat’s previous occupant, Jerry Griffin, resigned effective Jan. 2 and is not a named party to the filing.

“On a serious note, just to be honest, it’s a little disheartening because it sends a very divisive message to our constituency,” Johnson said. “It sends a wave of confusion, as well, to people saying, ‘Oh, wait a minute. I thought that we’re trying to all row in the same direction.’”

As of Tuesday afternoon, no court dates had been set in the matter.

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