The week before the first day of school, the Robbinsdale Area Schools Board learned the findings of an investigation it conducted amongst themselves — findings that investigators feel are dysfunctional.

A third party, Red Cedar Consultants, was hired to look into what it called “allegations of misconduct between board members,” some dating back to April of this year. 

According to the consulting firm and laid out in the report — which, when requested from the district, 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS was told it was not available as work to redact certain information was not complete — the claims and complaints involved meetings being recorded without all parties being aware and offensive and disparaging comments. 

It also included what the consulting firm called “nasty emails” that were “sarcastic and very antagonistic.”

“All school board members, with the possible exception of director [Dr. Greta] Evans-Becker, have contributed to this dysfunction in their behavior toward one another,” Isaac Kaufman, with Red Cedar Consulting, said to the board. 

The board’s attorney, Jim Martin, shared sharp words about the board Monday night. 

“I have to say, regrettably, this is the most dysfunctional board with whom I’ve ever worked in 30, 31 years,” Martin said. 

And the board’s chair, ReNae Bowman, shared concerns. 

“I’m at a loss as to how to fix this. This is devastating and this is embarrassing,” Bowman said. 

The consultant also pointed out a dispute over Director Caroline Long’s race. 

“I feel like race has been weaponized,” Long said during the discussion. “I feel like, especially towards me, there’s been a lot of colorism that has happened on this board, where people are constantly, other Black women, are constantly denying that I am a Black woman,” Director Long added.  

Director Sharon Brooks later responded about an interaction with Long. 

“I called her a white woman before, and she corrected me and said, ‘I identify as Black,'” Brooks said. 

In all, there were nearly three hours of discussion and arguments — the night ended with the board taking action to express formal disapproval, voting to censure Brooks. 

“To the families, I’m just going to say, stay with us. We’re going to make this better,” Bowman said.