Omaha Nation Schools superintendent removed from reservation
MACY — The Omaha Tribal Council has removed the Omaha Nation Public Schools superintendent from the reservation and asked that two principals be dismissed from their positions for unstated reasons, the school’s lawyer said Friday.
John Recknor, an attorney based in Lincoln who represents the school, said the school board was meeting Wednesday when a board member moved that Superintendent Morris Bates be fired immediately. Recknor said the motion was never seconded. A short time later, he said, members of the Tribal Council ordered Bates off of the reservation.
“A couple members of the Tribal Council, including the board member, came in and handed him a piece of paper saying that he needed to get off of the reservation immediately, and that he should resign or they would remove him from the reservation,” he said.
Recknor said the Tribal Council also produced a motion asking to dismiss high school principal David Friedli and special education director Mary Wilson from their positions. Unlike Bates, he said the two were not ordered to leave the reservation. All three staff members are under contract, according to Recknor.
Sioux City Journal reporters made numerous phone calls to the Omaha Tribal Council office in Macy but were unable to speak with anyone about this issue.
Recknor said Bates was escorted out of the meeting by a tribal police officer, allowed to gather his things from his office and told to leave the reservation.
Then, at 10 a.m. Thursday, the Tribal Council held a meeting in which three council members voted in favor of a motion to remove the three Omaha Nation school officials. Those council members were: Barry Webster, Amen Sheridan and Sterling Walker, according to meeting minutes.
One member, Rodney Morris, voted against the motion, saying he felt the school board should make the decision, not the Tribal Council. Council member Ansley Griffin did not vote on the motion, and two council members, Mitchell Parker and Tim Grant, did not attend the meeting.
Recknor said the school is unaware of any wrongdoing alleged against Bates and said the Tribal Council has not provided a reason for his dismissal, or that of Friedli and Wilson.
“He’s still our superintendent,” Recknor said. “We have no grounds or desire for him not to be our superintendent.”
An emergency meeting was held Thursday afternoon at the school. Recknor said Broderick Steed is temporarily acting as superintendent.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,” he said. “Basically, this appears to be usurpation of the school district’s power.”
John Recknor, an attorney based in Lincoln who represents the school, said the school board was meeting Wednesday when a board member moved that Superintendent Morris Bates be fired immediately. Recknor said the motion was never seconded. A short time later, he said, members of the Tribal Council ordered Bates off of the reservation.
“A couple members of the Tribal Council, including the board member, came in and handed him a piece of paper saying that he needed to get off of the reservation immediately, and that he should resign or they would remove him from the reservation,” he said.
Recknor said the Tribal Council also produced a motion asking to dismiss high school principal David Friedli and special education director Mary Wilson from their positions. Unlike Bates, he said the two were not ordered to leave the reservation. All three staff members are under contract, according to Recknor.
Sioux City Journal reporters made numerous phone calls to the Omaha Tribal Council office in Macy but were unable to speak with anyone about this issue.
Recknor said Bates was escorted out of the meeting by a tribal police officer, allowed to gather his things from his office and told to leave the reservation.
Then, at 10 a.m. Thursday, the Tribal Council held a meeting in which three council members voted in favor of a motion to remove the three Omaha Nation school officials. Those council members were: Barry Webster, Amen Sheridan and Sterling Walker, according to meeting minutes.
One member, Rodney Morris, voted against the motion, saying he felt the school board should make the decision, not the Tribal Council. Council member Ansley Griffin did not vote on the motion, and two council members, Mitchell Parker and Tim Grant, did not attend the meeting.
Recknor said the school is unaware of any wrongdoing alleged against Bates and said the Tribal Council has not provided a reason for his dismissal, or that of Friedli and Wilson.
“He’s still our superintendent,” Recknor said. “We have no grounds or desire for him not to be our superintendent.”
An emergency meeting was held Thursday afternoon at the school. Recknor said Broderick Steed is temporarily acting as superintendent.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,” he said. “Basically, this appears to be usurpation of the school district’s power.”
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