Shawnee Public Schools Superintendent April Grace had a duty to protect her students. She had the statutory authority to do so in April 2018, when a parent notified Grace that then-coach Ron Arthur was behaving inappropriately with a student. Grace failed to act decisively once notified of the danger to the student, allowing Arthur continued access to Shawnee students for another three years before his arrest.
It is inconceivable that, upon notification of Arthur’s behavior, Grace did not review the contents of his employee file. Such a lapse of judgement would be more than incompetent. It would be unforgivable. In reviewing Arthur’s file, Grace surely must’ve discovered the numerous disciplinary records contained therein, detailing his alleged misbehavior with other students — records a Pottawatomie County deputy sheriff later discovered and incorporated as evidence to be used against Arthur in a 2021 probable cause affidavit for his arrest.
Thankfully, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office exercised their authority to bring Arthur’s criminal conduct to an end in the summer of 2021. He was arrested and charged with numerous child sex crimes, after which, he was allowed to resign from his position with Shawnee Public Schools.
Grace had a responsibility to protect Shawnee students from Arthur’s criminal misconduct. She failed to act quickly and courageously to do so. Instead, she sought cover behind policy and legal arguments to excuse her inaction. This is the leadership Grace has provided Shawnee students and their parents.
We should not allow April Grace the opportunity to fail to protect Oklahoma students the way she failed to protect Shawnee students.
Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us twice, shame on us.
We urge voters to choose to protect our students Aug. 23 by rejecting April Grace’s version of leadership.