Community Response Fails To Deter School Board

Media approaching Board VP Ken Thorne after the meting

4 Grant School Board Members stand by decision to close CAHC with Rob Schuitema
casting the lone vote opposing the action

Story and photos by Ken De Laat

The Grant School Board held a special meeting Friday afternoon at 3pm, a meeting necessitated by a violation of the Open Meetings Act that negated the actions taken at the June 19th meeting. These actions  included the passage of the budget for the upcoming year and the controversial decision made to sever ties with Family Health Care by doing away with the Grant Child and Adolescent Health Center.

A crowd with numbers edging toward 250 filled the Grant Middle School cafeteria to see for themselves a reenactment of the surprise decision that shook the Grant community. Each of the local television stations were on hand for the story.

After calling the meeting to order came the first public question section which the Vice President of the Board Ken Thorne (Former President Neil Geers resigned after the last meeting) limited to 30 minutes saw roughly 10 people speak to the board.  Each  of the speakers presented their support for the Health Center as well as their disdain for the efforts taken to cut ties with it. The board returned to the action item of considering the reenactment/ratification of the Board's decision at the June 19 meeting.

Board member Rob Schuitema, the lone dissenting vote in the move to oust the Heath Center addresses his fellow Board members

Board Member Rob Schuitema, the lone dissenting vote at the previous meeting attempted to introduce a motion to rescind the resolution but his motion died without support. This was despite his appeal to the other members to engage in discussion on the matter, particularly  given what was heard from those who had just spoken out  in support of the CAHC.

The Board then voted 4-1 to reaffirm the actions including the budget and the demise of the Health Center. Board members Ken Thorne, Rachal Gort, Sabrina Veltkamp-Blok and Richard Vance each reprised their vote from the June 19th meeting while Schuitema once again opposed. Board Member Danette Obenauf was not present.

Then the community came out in force.

​For the next three hours the board heard from providers, students, former students, single parents, educators, coaches, parents and grandparents, business people and leaders from other human service agencies who took to the podium to express their displeasure with the Board decision. A few voiced their chagrin in  more personal ways directing sharp comments to individual board members while the majority focused on the positivity the presence of CAHC has brought to the school.  Others pointed out their displeasure with the lack of transparency displayed by the members who favored the ousting of the Center. 

Nearly 60 in all took to the podium

Of the close to 60 speakers only 3 supported the decision by the board.

Meanwhile, the rest of those making their way to the podium weighed in with personal stories of the help received by the clinic including a mother who related how the staff at the clinic had saved her 7 year old son’s life and several who benefited greatly from the therapy services. Many current and past employees spoke of the benefits the CAHC has brought the district and a former board member took the Board to task for failing the students. 
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Megan Wirts, a resident who attended Grant schools as have her two children, was candid in her response stating, “the decision to remove the CAHC undermines the progress we have made in prioritizing the health and well-being of our students. Your decision Ms.Gort, Ms. Veltkamp-Blok, Mr. Vance and Mr. Thorne, sends a message that the physical and mental health of our students is not a priority, that their well-being can be compromised for the sake of your personal political and religious views and discriminatory beliefs. We must not allow our students to bear the brunt of your bigotry or short-sighted decision-making. It is our duty to fight for their right to accessible healthcare, to advocate for their well-being, and to ensure that they have the resources they need to thrive.”

Newaygo County CMH Executive Director Carol Mills expressed concern about mental health needs not getting met should the CAHC be removed

Carol Mills, Executive Director of Newaygo County Mental Health stated, “You have heard many reasons to keep the Health Center open. The reasons to close it are few, and frankly not logical and simply wrong. We need to be providing increased crisis mental health services in our schools to reduce incidents of violence and suicide. Removing the teen health center from Grant Public Schools may result in people getting hurt and dying. At that moment in time in the future, when I learn of an attempted or successful suicide of a Grant Student, I will add that child and their family to my prayer list. I will also hope that each and every person on this Board who made the decision to close the Teen Health Center finally sees and understands that actions have consequences. Every time.”

The Board heard many similar responses toward their action and while there were occasional catcalls from the crowd the loudest sound remained the applause given the speakers who advocated for keeping the CAHC.

​When the line for speakers finally came to an end Schuitema made a motion to move the next meeting to the Grant Fine Arts Center which could offer a better sound system (the microphones stopped functioning properly midway through the meeting) and handle the expected large crowd but once again there was no second of the motion and thus no discussion or vote ensued.
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As the Board moved to adjourn, the crowd began chanting “Recall, Recall”, and media folks surrounded the board table. None of the 4 who voted to oust the CAHC chose to comment to any media requests nor did they respond to any questions about why their action was taken.

Dr Ross Nelson was among several local providers who spoke to the need for the services CAHC delivers

After the meeting we asked Schuitema for a comment. 
​“These are my personal views and not that of the Grant Public Schools Board of Education. The community came out today and showed just how important the CAHC is to our community, especially the students of GPS. Almost 700 of our students use this facility as their primary care facility and as you heard, they have saved lives. Personally, I hope we can find a resolution that protects the best interests of our students, faculty, and support systems. Free healthcare in a low income, free and reduced lunch, promise zone community is essential.”

The community came out looking for answers but were met with mostly silence by the four board members who seemed undaunted by the outpouring of dissent toward their action.
The Board will convene their next regular meeting on July 10 at 6pm in the Grant Fine Arts Center.