Tension ran high at a special Parma school board meeting Thursday night as trustees wrestled with a thorny question: should board member and Air Force reservist Ashley McTaggart be allowed to participate in meetings remotely while she is on active duty?
McTaggart, an Air Force veteran and current reservist, was reportedly boarding a plane for deployment just after the 6 p.m. start time, and by the time the gavel came down to adjourn, the board had not resolved her status. The stalemate laid bare a sharp split among both trustees and residents over how military service should intersect with an elected official's duty to show up and vote.
What the board discussed
Board President Tammie Sebastian and Vice President Brittany Kurpik called the special session to get legal advice on how a lengthy absence might affect the board's ability to function, according to WKYC.
Trustees spent the evening debating whether a military deployment should count as an excused absence or could still trigger vacancy rules under state law. They did not take a formal vote and declined to set a specific date for another special session, leaving the question hanging for at least a little longer.
Who Ashley McTaggart is
McTaggart serves on the Parma City School District board and sits on the Business and Finance committees, according to the Parma City School District. Her official biography highlights her service as an Air Force medic, her work as a licensed practical nurse, and her experience as a small-business owner in real estate.
Supporters point to that mix of military, medical, and business experience as the reason she has become a visible and vocal figure in local education debates.
What Ohio law says
Under Ohio law, a school board seat becomes vacant for a short list of reasons, including death, resignation, moving out of the district, or failing to attend meetings for 90 days if the remaining members later decide the absence was not for a good enough reason, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
Military deployment is not mentioned by name in that statute. The 90 day provision gives local boards significant discretion, which is why Parma's trustees sought legal counsel before acting. Any move they make on McTaggart's status could set off additional procedural steps or even prompt legal challenges.
Community reaction
Several residents stepped to the microphone to warn the board against ousting a member who is serving in uniform. Supporters pledged to fight any attempt to declare McTaggart's seat vacant while she is deployed.
"She and others will fight to support Ashley while she serves," local activist Tanya Karabanovs told WKYC.
Trustee Kevin Kussmaul also voiced concern, saying he believes it would be wrong to remove McTaggart while she is on active duty. The back and forth highlighted a broader tension over how communities should balance respect for military service with expectations that elected officials be present for key decisions.
What happens next
Ohio school boards have several tools for handling vacancies if they occur. If a seat is declared open, the remaining members can appoint a replacement by majority vote at their next regular or special meeting. If they fail to act within 30 days, a probate court can step in and make the appointment instead, according to guidance from the Ohio School Boards Association.
The association's vacancy toolkit points out that deciding whether an absence is for "insufficient reasons" is squarely up to the local board and strongly recommends getting legal advice before making that call. Parma trustees have said they plan to reconvene after reviewing counsel's opinion, setting the stage for another potentially heated meeting before any vote on McTaggart's future is taken.
