During a SEP School Board Meeting where they were discussing the new guiding principles document for the board to work together better, board member Brett Handy stated "unless we have a lynching". Regardless, if it was directed at Whitney Smith McIntosh (a board member and person of color) or the board as a whole, it was in a public meeting recorded on YouTube. After the meeting Whitney Smith McIntosh made it known in private that it was a offensive. No apology was made in private or in public at the following board meeting. However, the new principles to be accountable to and working with one another did pass. Brett Handy commented also that communications should be open to the public. Whitney voted no to the making official the principles document because of her past experience with the board. The Des Moines Register did a "hit piece" on Whitney Smith McIntosh because of her no vote. A request was made to Chad Crabb (the board president) to add an agenda item addressing this offensive public comment. The thinking was that in the spirit of being open to the public and for holding one another accountable under the new principles was a reasonable request. The request was denied with the following wording: "not to look backwards and try and find evidence of perceived past transgressions". Now, Whitney Smith McIntosh made no assertions that Mr Handy was racist, merely that his comment was offensive. Mr. Crabb has unilaterally decided what is and is not offensive. You cannot hold one another accountable if the president of the board has unilateral decision making power over what is wrong or right for the board members. The principles document becomes mute and offensive itself if it is selectively applied. The evidence is on the YouTube recording of the board meeting. Therefore this petition is to have the SEP Board add the following items to the board agenda:

• Mr. Handy either apologize for his comment or explain his unwillingness to do so.
• Mr. Crabb either apologize for efforts to undermine his own principles of working together, holding one another accountable and dismissing Whitney Smith McIntosh feelings of being offended. Or deny any need to apologize and explain himself to the public.
  
• The board amend their new principles to define whom may determine if something offends a board member or not? The offender, the offended or the board president.

NOTE: Whitney Smith McIntosh is not the originator of this petition.