The sides agree that partisan politicking involving Cincinnati Public School students shouldn't occur on school time, but they disagree if that really happened. "I think CPS believes CPS stubbed their toes, got caught, whatever," attorney Chris Finney said.
He sued the school district Monday, saying Hughes High students were sent to vote on school time last week and, when they arrived at the Hamilton County Board of Elections, were handed a sample ballot that listed only Democrat candidates.
Mark Stepaniak, an attorney representing CPS, admits students were taken on school time in donated church vans to vote last week and were given sample ballots listing only Democrat candidates. But the ballots weren't handed out by a school employee. They were handed out, Stepaniak said, by Gwen Robinson, a former CPS principal. "We don't admit any mistakes," Stepaniak said. "We don't believe we violated the law."
That's because if they did, Finney countered, they'd have to pay Finney attorney fees of at least $10,000 in the case.
"They don't want to pay fees so they deny they did anything wrong," Finney said. "That's why we have judges."
Both sides acknowledged they want students age 18 or older to vote. Both also agree no partisan politicking should be allowed at a school activity.
"They shouldn't be electioneering for one party," Stepaniak said.
Finney filed the Monday suit on behalf of Thomas Brinkman Jr., a Republican candidate for Hamilton County auditor, and the Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending & Taxes.
The sides exchanged draft language Tuesday of a proposed agreed restraining order aimed at preventing students from being subjected to electioneering at school-related events. The goal is to get through this year's election before working on a more permanent solution.
Unless CPS responds to Finney this morning, Finney said he's going back to court.
