The president of the Caledonia Community Schools Board of Education, Tim Morris, has served for years, and he has done some genuine good. At some level he has meant well.
But he has recently shown himself to be an untrusting and untrustworthy trustee.
To keep things simple, my own comments below point to two recent events: the rejection of the proposed AP course in human geography, and attempts by the board president to engineer the insertion of a political-activist law firm into the district’s business.
But these are not quirks. And they are serious. They are in continuity with a pattern that has developed since 2022, when Angela Rigas ran for state legislature and Tim became her acolyte. He has betrayed the trust of the people of this district. We cannot trust him, and he should not continue to serve. He is pursuing a partisan-political agenda, not seeking the best interests of Caledonia’s students.
Attendees at last night’s meeting of the Caledonia school board heard speeches by several community members and one board member that make this point clear. The rest of this post will present my own comments, plus the comments made by Erica Mulholland, former board member Jason Saidoo, and current board member Katie Isic.
These are scripts from which the oral presentations may have varied slightly. To see and hear the presentations as they were delivered, watch for the videorecording of the meeting when it is posted on the board’s webpage.
(For recent background to this post, see “Clarifying the issues in the Caledonia anti-masking and Kallman proposals.”)
The text of my comment:
I have two points and a conclusion.
Point 1: Human geography is a vital topic in today’s world. Failure to understand how physical geography affects human economic and political life and vice versa means losing—in international commerce or in international politics—and these days all business and all politics are international. Global competition is fierce. Other nations are educating their children. Do we want to educate ours—or hold them back?
I have read Chris and Bob Thelen’s trashing of the textbook. They say they never even heard of the subject before! But they give their opinion anyway. Which boils down to: scholars who are competent to write textbooks in this subject do not support their personal views on their pet topics.
Yet it seems members of this board were swayed by them! Why?
Our board president’s statement, apparently under their influence, that offering the AP course would be pointless because our students can’t find countries on a map disrespects our students and teachers and shows misunderstanding of how learning works, here and elsewhere.
Our teachers are competent to teach this AP course. Our director of instruction has a doctorate in education. We have stellar students. And yet—our school board president ignores our teachers’ advice and listens instead to residents of another school district who have no competence—only strong opinions. Why?
Do we think this board exists to put a doctrinal choke chain on teachers and students, or to make sure students don’t become more educated than ourselves, and aren’t exposed to viewpoints we don’t share, or understand? Or do we fear our own beliefs are so implausible that mere exposure to competing views will cause our kids to give them up? Is that why we must reject this course for college-bound students?
That’s not doing the work of school district trustees. It’s stating you don’t trust our educators, you think you know more than they about stuff they have studied and you have not. It’s lack of self-awareness and humility. It’s betrayal of the public’s trust.
More briefly, point 2. Emails obtained under FOIA show that our board president has been conspiring, for months, to invite the Kallman Law firm into this district. It seems he told some but not all of you. He has not been transparent with us about these dealings. This district does not need the expensive “services” of political-activist lawyers with a record of stirring up litigation that profits themselves and sucks money from the public. Why has he been scheming with them behind our backs?
Again: serious betrayal of public trust.
My suggestion: our board president should resign—and spare us the distraction of formal proceedings that may be needed to determine whether he should be removed.
Thank you for your attention.
Here is the text of Erica Mulholland’s comment:
Good evening, members of the Board.
First, I want to express my appreciation to the Board for fostering an inclusive environment where public comment is respected, as we saw last month when Jeff was allowed to fully share his concerns. That openness matters deeply, especially when trust and transparency are at stake.
Tonight, I’m here as a mother of two students in Caledonia Schools and as a concerned community member. I’m disappointed by the direction some members of this Board appear to be taking—one that prioritizes personal opinions and political ideology over evidence, professional expertise, and the well-being of our students.
Let me be clear: our children’s education cannot be dictated by “vibes” or politics. That is not how a responsible board should operate. You were not elected to implement personal agendas or ignore the professional recommendations made by the very educators this district employs and entrusts with our kids every day. When a board ignores expert input from licensed, trained educators in favor of loud but misinformed dissent from people who don’t even live in this district, let alone have kids attending our schools, it undermines the entire purpose of representative governance in public education.
Speaking of credibility, when someone begins their “recommendation” by admitting they’ve never heard of the subject they’re addressing, that should immediately inform how much weight their opinion carries. To quote them directly, “They are not an unbiased source nor experts at anything.” Ironically, these two reviewers only described themselves perfectly. Contrast that with the guidance given by experienced teachers, many of whom have devoted years to this district. These are not strangers. They are neighbors, mentors, and partners in our children’s development. THE TEACHERS ARE CREDIBLE AND QUALIFIED.
And the preemptive banning of masks? All I hear is ignorance, privilege, and politics. Stability and routines are vital. Masks, as affirmed by a recent Michigan State University study, are a small but effective way to keep kids in classrooms and protect public health. This is not controversial—it’s responsible. Masks and public health are not political, why is this Board so determined to make it that way?
This isn’t about political wins. This is about keeping our children healthy, in school, and on a path to academic and social growth. And speaking of responsibility: the notion of replacing a law firm we reportedly haven’t used in years with a law firm known across the state for politicized causes and inefficiency—one that drains taxpayer dollars and has proven ineffectual elsewhere—is alarming. Why are we trying to create solutions to problems we don’t have? If we haven’t even used one law firm in years, why are you even looking to replace them?
And then there’s the hypocrisy. Some members of this Board advocate against opportunities that would reduce college debt—like AP classes our students can earn college credit for—even while benefiting themselves from federal loan forgiveness programs. If loan forgiveness is good enough for members of this Board and their “businesses”, why would we deny our students a chance to lessen their own future debt?
You were elected to listen to professionals, reflect your community, and protect our students—not to pursue personal grievances or play political games by calling up an emotional and rhetoric-filled old neighbor that doesn’t even live in this district anymore, nor has children attending our schools. When licensed educators come to you with vetted, professional recommendations, your role is not to override them. It is to support them. This includes their Union negotiations.
I fully expect the Board to leave their own personal politics and unfounded opinions in the garbage where they belong. You can also trash your ignorant opinions regarding what our students are or are not capable of since a couple of you seem to enjoy running your mouths about things you are completely clueless on. Our teachers deserve our full support, and I expect every single one of you to give it to them.
Finally, I urge you: step away from social media echo chambers. Instead, talk to our teachers. Listen to the people in our community who know our students best. The job of a board member isn’t about asserting control over what you don’t understand. It’s about stewardship, service, and trust.
The text of Jason Saidoo’s comment:
Years ago, when I was the IT Director for the Chicago Bears, I would walk past a plaque every day on the way to my office. It was three words, each on its own line: Faith, Family, Football. It was something the owners of the Bears valued as somewhat of a creed. Those words were listed in order of priority – it was expected that family comes before football; and that faith comes before all. I think about that plaque often; the meaning behind being intentional about a list of priorities.
I think understanding priorities is crucial for any person or group to succeed. As it relates to the school board, I picture a similar plaque with 5 lines. Students, Staff, Parents, School Community, Other. Some of the board who ran on the promise of parental rights may have parents at the top – that’s a discussion for a different day. I think we can all agree that the top 3 priorities should be students, staff, and parents in some order. That’s why it was disheartening to me to hear that the board, in rejecting the AP Human Geography text, buckled to the wishes of one couple who don’t live in our community; 5th in priority.
The assertion that we don’t have a geography class and that our students can’t identify these places on a map is ridiculous. While you may not offer a class titled “Geography” it is taught as a part of many social studies classes. I know this because I spent countless hours at the kitchen table with both my kids helping them with their homework. Homework that included blank maps and required them to label the countries, color them, and add facts about topography, climate, and population.
All you’ve accomplished is eroding the trust between staff and the board. You cannot simply say “I trust teachers 100%” while your actions prove you do not. In just a few minutes of discussion, you erased weeks of time narrowing a dozen choices to three, reviewing and diving deep into the choices, and soliciting real world feedback on the text’s effectiveness. Your actions told those teachers you do not trust their recommendation. Your actions told those teachers you do not trust their ability to navigate difficult topics. Your actions told them your collective zero years of educational experience counted more than the cumulative decades of experience among those teachers.
Based on the past couple of meetings, and at the suggestion of one of the trustees, it sounds as though the Board will now choose the curriculum and text to recommend it to the superintendent and social studies staff. This is in direct violation of policy 2220 which states in part “The Superintendent shall recommend to the Board such courses of study as are deemed to be in the best interests of the students.” As well as a violation of policy 2510 which states in part: “The Superintendent shall be responsible for the selection and recommendation of textbooks for Board consideration.”
This Board continues to spend time and effort on topics that should be near no-brainers. Politicizing textbook adoption to reject an AP course; planning a course of action that would pit the board against its own adopted policy; time and money spent trying to force through a mask policy that would have violated law 5 years ago; time spent trying to hire a shyster as legal representation – including the current board president sending documents from the districts attorneys to the Kallman Legal Group. Documents that are under attorney-client privilege.
All of this effort – yet the teacher’s contract remains unsettled. As I understand it, negotiations have barely scratched the surface. All of this effort and we are eating into our fund balance for the foreseeable future.
I implore the board: Do what is in the best interest of students & staff – not what is politically favorable. Keep politics out of school.
Our staff deserves better.
Our students deserve better.
The text of board member Katie Isic’s comments:
I’ve come to these meetings again and again, not out of convenience, but out of deep concern. It is my responsibility, as an elected official, not just to be in attendance , but to pay attention and do my homework regarding the issues to be discussed. I’ve read statements, presented facts, offered reason.
And I’ve watched, again and again, as those contributions are met with blank stares, silence, or outright dismissal.
Let me be absolutely clear: that is not leadership. That is cowardice.
When a board member falsely claims that our students “don’t need AP human geography class” because they “can’t identify countries on a map,” he is not making an educational point—he is slandering the very students this district is supposed to serve. That statement wasn’t just wrong—it was a lie, and a harmful one. It paints our students as incapable. It lowers expectations. It gives cover for withholding opportunity from kids who deserve better.
But the issue is deeper than just one comment. Over and over again, this board—driven by the same member—has pushed forward a policy designed to ignore public health mandates, despite legal opinions warning against it, despite dozens of community members speaking out, and despite every clear sign that it is harmful, misguided, and unwanted. And yet here we are—four months in, still debating something that should have been put to rest years ago.
Because here’s what’s really happening: this isn’t about community input. It’s about selective hearing. This member ignores the many voices that disagree with him—whole crowds of parents, teachers, legal experts, public commenters—and chooses instead to latch onto the one voice that echoes his own views. He doesn’t represent this district. He represents an echo chamber. And still, he sits there and acts like he’s speaking “for everyone.” He’s not. He’s speaking only for the people he chooses to listen to.
This board has become a stage where disagreement is treated as disrespect, and public concern is treated as noise. And yes—it is enraging. Not because my feelings are hurt, but because this process has been hijacked by someone who doesn’t understand what representation even means.
You don’t have to acknowledge me. You haven’t so far. But your silence is loud. And your refusal to listen isn’t power—it’s fear.
I won’t be silent to spare your comfort. I won’t let this district sink under the weight of ego. And if you choose again to ignore me, just know: I’ll still be here. And I’ll still be speaking—louder.
Appendix 1: the comments by Chris and Bob Thelen on the proposed human geography textbook, obtained through a FOIA request. I have omitted the pages with their briefer comments on other textbooks, and I have redacted their email address.
Appendix 2: emails released by Caledonia Community Schools in response to a FOIA request for materials mentioning “Kallman.” Spoiler alert: these emails are from 2023. They establish that already in 2023 Tim Morris was attempting to engineer the insertion of Kallman Legal into Caledonia Community Schools. Those efforts failed. In 2025, apparently believing that he now had a majority, he resumed his efforts. Whatever communications he had with and about Kallman Legal were apparently not conducted through his official Caledonia Community Schools email address.
Verba Sparsa 