The Orange Board of Education has put the brakes on accepting a paraprofessional’s resignation after two mothers stood before the board accusing her of racist slurs, taunts and even simulating a whipping motion toward their Black sons. Pamela Polisena, who worked as a paraprofessional at Orange High School, had listed her departure as a retirement effective November 6, but the board voted to pull that resignation from consideration for further discussion rather than finalize it.
Parents Allege Slurs and a Simulated Whip
According to a report from Cleveland.com, Lovette Mollison told the board that Polisena targeted her son and another student, Brooke Wheeler’s son — both of whom are Black — during an incident the parents say reflects a broader pattern. Mollison alleged that Polisena used a racial slur comparing her son to a monkey, called him a delinquent, and simulated hitting him with a whip while threatening to whip him. She further alleged that Polisena struck her son’s friend’s finger and repeated the threat. Wheeler said Polisena also called her son a monkey and that the October 29 incident at Orange High School was traumatic for her child.
Mollison said the incident on October 29 wasn’t isolated. She told the board the staff member had a documented pattern of harassing and embarrassing her son and his friend in science class, and that similar behavior had occurred multiple times at Orange High School and in the district’s lower schools. Mollison said that before her son returned to school, she had specifically asked administrators not to place the staff member around him — but school leaders instead assigned her to monitor the boys in a teacher’s planning area. Mollison said a school resource officer ultimately physically intervened and removed the staff member from the situation, and that her son served a 10-day suspension for what Mollison described as a poor choice driven by severe school stress.
Mothers Want Termination, Not a Quiet Exit
Mollison said she later learned Polisena was being allowed to resign quietly, and she asked the board to reject or freeze that resignation and terminate her for cause instead. Wheeler echoed that request, telling the board she wanted Polisena fired because accepting the resignation, in her view, would be unfair to the students affected. Wheeler also said she had received no follow-up contact since the October 29 incident, despite being told she would get a call. She added that her own children have experienced small incidents of racism with students during seven years in the Orange schools.
Mollison said she requested an internal investigation into how the administration handled the matter, along with cooperation with the Ohio State Board of Education’s Office of Professional Conduct to seek revocation of Polisena’s credentials. Both mothers said they are pursuing legal action against the district, and Mollison said she is retaining legal counsel and intends to file a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. Board President Beth Wilson-Fish moved to pull Polisena’s resignation from the agenda for further discussion at a later date, and the board went on to approve the remaining personnel items that night.
District Points to Contract and State Process
District records listed Polisena’s departure as a retirement effective November 6, and officials say she exercised her statutory right to retire under the state employment retirement system. Superintendent Lynn Campbell issued a statement to families and staff saying the alleged racial remarks and behavior are inconsistent with district beliefs and policies and are not supported or condoned by the board or administration. Campbell said the district responded immediately under its collective bargaining agreement and board policy, and that employee harassment and discrimination allegations are generally handled under collective bargaining agreements, board policies and state professional-conduct standards. Campbell added that student safety remains the district’s top priority, which she said includes fair and respectful treatment, and said Orange Schools will continue supporting all students and celebrating diversity. The district noted Polisena’s conduct may be subject to review by the state board’s Office of Professional Conduct.
That office, under the Ohio State Board of Education, has jurisdiction to investigate allegations involving anyone who holds or has applied for a state-issued educator credential, with cases generally involving criminal or professional violations, according to the Ohio State Board of Education. Its investigative procedures describe attempts to contact people with relevant information, including alleged victims and witnesses, and say that when alleged victims are minors, their parents are contacted regarding the allegations — steps the office says it attempts, not a guaranteed outcome in any given case, the board’s investigations page explains.
A District Still Dealing With Fallout From a Separate Case
Wheeler drew a comparison to an earlier controversy involving a Brady Middle School paraprofessional, Citlali Afsharian, who was placed on leave in April 2026 after antisemitic posts surfaced on her personal social media page. Afsharian returned to work on May 6, 2026, after a district investigation determined there had been no violation of district policy, cleveland.com reported. Superintendent Campbell’s May 4 letter said Afsharian had been investigated under eight board policies tied to the posts, which had prompted several complaints, according to clevelandjewishnews.com. Three parents had raised concerns about those posts at an April 13 board meeting, and by the time the board addressed Afsharian’s reinstatement on May 11, twelve community members spoke on the topic before a standing-room crowd of nearly 100 people.
In the wake of that episode, the Orange Board of Education said in a statement that it unequivocally condemns hate, racism, antisemitism and discrimination in any form, and that views expressed in the Facebook posts did not represent the board, district or community. The district said it would examine board policies, reinforce behavioral expectations, expand educational programming and materials, and create opportunities for respectful conversation and restorative practices. Officials also said they planned an ongoing campaign to reaffirm respect, safety and empathy with guidance from outside experts and community partners, and committed to discussing concrete steps and timelines at upcoming board meetings.
The Polisena matter is a separate case from allegations raised by parents of a Brady Middle School eighth-grader, who told the board in September 2026 that they were considering withdrawing their daughter over alleged persistent physical abuse and what they described as district inaction. That case remains distinct from the allegations against Polisena at Orange High School.
Other Personnel Changes on the Agenda
At the same meeting, the board accepted the retirements of three longtime staff members: Orange Inclusive Preschool Principal Christine Goudy, effective July 31; and Moreland Hills Elementary School teachers Edward Evans, effective June 6, and Kerry Laninga, effective June 30. Wilson-Fish thanked all three for their service and wished them well in retirement.
