Summer 2025

• On June 23, the board held Superintendent Mark Whelton’s annual evaluation in open session. The board rated Whelton a 2.67 on a 3-point scale, or an 89%. This score is Effective, which as of 2024, is the highest rating assignable to teachers and school administrators. The board president unilaterally decided to remove the superintendent and CFO’s contract renewal off of the agenda, without even holding a vote.

• Concerns grew over board overreach, legal involvement, and decision-making outside normal district process when on July 2, the board majority gave the superintendent an ultimatum that threatened discipline, alleging that he was delaying the negotiation of the district’s collective bargaining agreement with the Bridgeport Education Association (BEA). BEA officials rebutted the board majority’s allegation, highlighting the great deal of progress made in negotiations between the district and the BEA.

October 2025

• Unethical use of public funds became a heated subject of debate, after the board majority quietly raised its training and travel budget to $25,000 in June 2025. District administration later confirmed that the increase had been decided upon outside of the public meeting. (watch the video).

• Questions intensified after the October 27 meeting, when events during a recess raised concerns about private coordination before a key superintendent contract vote (watch the video).

November 2025

• On November 10, the board’s conflict over Superintendent Mark Whelton escalated when a contract vote raised serious concerns about procedure and possible improper influence when, after Carmen Castillo was the 4th yes vote in favor of approving the superintendent’s contract, Amy Morales interrupted and restarted the vote, leading Carmen Castillo to flip her vote, causing the motion to approve the superintendent’s contract to fail 3-4 (watch the 11/10 video).

• On November 19, the Saginaw County Election commission held a public hearing in which they approved the recall against Brentoya Breamsy, Carmen Castillo & Lucy Erby (read the full transcript of the hearing here).

• On November 21, a last-minute special meeting was called for and held at Bridgeport Township Hall. After the meeting’s stated business was concluded, the board majority added to the agenda, leading to a 4 to 3 vote to place Whelton on non-disciplinary, paid administrative leave (watch the 11/21 video).

December 2025

• Staff confidence in the board majority sharply declined. The BEA publicly expressed confidence in Whelton and no confidence in the board majority.

January 2026

• On January 5, the effort to recall Brentoya Breamsy, Carmen Castillo, and Lucy Erby was upheld by Circuit Court Julie Gafkay.

• On January 26, the independent investigator reported in open session that he found no wrongdoing by Superintendent Mark Whelton, raising even more questions about why the investigation had been launched at all (watch the full investigator’s report here).

  • You can also read the transcript of the investigator’s report here.

February 2026

• By February, the controversy had widened well beyond the superintendent and into deeper questions about public trust.

• Criticism continued over the way members of the public were being treated during public comment. At the same time, concern persisted over the complaints that had triggered the superintendent’s leave and the cost of the investigation that followed. Public frustration was no longer centered only on individual votes. It was centered on the larger pattern of secrecy, shifting explanations, and taxpayer expense.

March 2026

• After months of turmoil, legal costs, and investigation, the board majority formally held a vote and voted 4-3 not to renew Whelton’s contract (watch the full hearing here).