PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
STANDING ROOM ONLY … A crowd of roughly 50 parents, students and staff wait for the meeting of the Swanton Local School District Board of Education to begin on Wednesday, August 19. Most of the attendees came to speak on the recent removal of head softball coach Lauren Yoder, or to support those who did.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
A group of passionate students, parents and staff attended the Wednesday, August 19 meeting of the Swanton Local School District Board of Education to share their opinions on the recent non-renewal of head softball coach Lauren Yoder’s contract.
The board recently chose not to renew Yoder’s contract following an investigation into allegations of improper communication with students, favoritism, and general unprofessional conduct.
THE INVESTIGATION REPORT
According to the investigation report, Yoder communicated with students outside of regular channels, including via Snapchat, text messages and other private channels; provided substantially more instruction and more hitting opportunities to certain players; permitted some players to miss activities without consequences while limiting coaching opportunities for other players; and allegedly threatened reduced opportunities for one player who chose to attend a basketball awards event.
The report further states that Yoder ignored certain players after injuries, talked negatively about parents, and transported certain players to scouting events in her personal vehicle, among other allegations.
The report also states that one witness reported Swanton and non-Swanton players participated in a preseason tournament with all of them wearing Swanton uniforms.
Further, it states the assistant coach submitted a written complaint accusing Yoder of favoritism, manipulating player relationships, deteriorating the team culture, and other unprofessional conduct.
In a response after the meeting, Superintendent Chris Lake said the report was submitted to the Ohio Department of Education, and that its resolution of the case would likely take about two years.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Roughly 50 people attended Wednesday’s meeting, with 10 people addressing Yoder’s departure during the public comment portion.
Among the players who spoke, three shared their support of Yoder, calling her removal unexpected and “a big mistake,” with one stating she cried every single day after the action and that she may not continue playing.
A fourth player said she was bullied by one of her teammates, and that Yoder “encouraged other players to ice her out.”
She accused the family of board member Ben Remer, whose daughter is on the team, of being behind efforts to find out who was responsible for Yoder’s removal.
She also said her speaking out led to an attempt to get her kicked off her travel team.
Whether for or against Yoder’s removal, players and parents alike complained about how the investigation was handled, saying girls were pulled directly out of volleyball practice to be questioned, leading to rumors among other students that damaged their reputations.
Assistant Coach Morgan Hamrick said she enjoyed coaching under Yoder, but that “friendship and professional responsibility are separate considerations.”
“Student athletes are best served when they are not placed in the middle of adult disagreements,” Hamrick said.
“My husband was also asked to remove a Swanton athlete from our travel program based on assumptions related to this situation, which highlights the importance of being mindful about how these situations can extend beyond the school setting. No child should be affected by adult conflict.”
Hamrick said questions about who influenced the decision and what factors contributed to it are two separate issues that require separate consideration.
“Moving forward, the question should not be ‘who got the coach fired,’ but rather why did this happen, how do we ensure every student athlete is protected, respected, and supported moving forward,” Hamrick said.
The final two speakers were Swanton High School Principal Tony Menna and his wife, Jessica. Both defended his actions and spoke to his drive to do what was best for the students.
“Every student who walks through the doors of Swanton High School deserves to be treated fairly, consistently, and with dignity.
“I will not set expectations for one student and another set for someone else, I refuse to do that. Fair does not always mean easy and it does not always mean everyone will agree with the outcome. Fair means applying our standards consistently and with integrity,” Menna said.
Menna said he was hired to make tough decisions and that he will continue to do so.
“Sometimes doing the right thing brings criticism, but this time it hurt my family. It’s hurt people around us, and it’s unfair,” he said.
BOARD PRESIDENT SPEAKS
At the end of the meeting, Board President Steve Brehmer made a personal statement in which he called the current year — his 13th on the board — “my worst year as a board member.”
He said he felt that, as board president, he had “failed somewhat,” referring to difficult personnel issues the board has had to address.
“I understand the pressure of having to make decisions that impact friends, impact people I may socialize with, impact people I may share a cocktail with or I may share a meal with. I understand that.
“Trust me, when we made some decisions in those … three to five years, I lost some friends because they did not agree. But my litmus test for making a decision as a member of the board is I will make my decision based on what is best for the school district and what is best for the kids,” Brehmer said.
He said he was also frustrated by what appeared to be “personal agendas” coming before the board.
“I apologize to the community of Swanton if you see us as being a little bit dysfunctional. That is not our intention. We will strive to get better at it,” he said.
The meeting ended with a pair of requests to go into executive session. The first, from the Swanton Education Association for the purpose of hearing a grievance appeal on behalf of one of its members, failed when Remer made a motion but no one provided a second.
The second request was for a direct address to the board by Remer’s wife, Amy, who had spoken on the Yoder issue earlier in the meeting.
Remer again made the motion and received a second from board member Olivia Leverich, but Brehmer and board members John Schaller and David Smith voted down the request.
FUNDING CHALLENGES
Board Treasurer Sheila Horseman shed light on the difficult financial road ahead for the school when she presented the five-year forecast, which currently shows the district deficit spending to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and year-end balances going negative by the end of fiscal year 2030 and to nearly $1 million in the red by the end of fiscal year 2031.
Horseman said the district has already been pursuing cost-saving measures, which resulted in savings of $200,000 last year.
She also said the district’s efforts to sway lawmakers regarding House Bill 479 did result in a change which kept the district from being pushed beneath the 20-mill floor, which kept it from losing $80,000 in funding.
Further compounding the challenge is the upcoming levy renewal slated to go to voters next year.
Lake said the district has already been told to expect the levy will generate approximately 10 percent less than before.
If it were to fail, the district would face a negative balance by the end of fiscal year 2029, with the balance at the end of fiscal year 2031 reaching -$6.76 million thanks to the loss of an estimated $5.79 million in property and income tax revenue over four years, according to the forecast.
Horseman said they expect further changes to the structure and rules regarding property taxes to be pursued by the state legislature, which could add to the district’s fiscal challenges.
Lake added that Toledo Edison is appealing approximately $30 million in tax valuation, which could also impact the school’s tax revenue.
District enrollment is also projected to continue shrinking, dropping from 1,138 in 2022 to an estimated 999 in 2031.
Lake said district officials need to start having conversations regarding what the future of school funding will look like.
OTHER BUSINESS
Board members approved the permanent budget for fiscal year 2027.
Board members approved updated ticket levels and pricing, set at $350 each for family passes covering between three and seven people, $250 for a two-adult season pass, $150 for a single adult season pass, $50 each for out-of-district senior citizen passes and student passes for grades seven through 12, and $40 for student passes for grades kindergarten through six.
Board members approved a contract with the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center to provide English language learner services during the 2026-2027 school year at a cost of $308.55 per day.
Board members approved a Swanton High School baseball and softball trip to Cocoa Beach, Florida, from March 20 through 26, 2027, to participate in additional outdoor practices, scrimmages, and games during the spring season as well as to bolster team bonding.
Board members approved payment in lieu of transportation payments to the families of five students in the district who attend a variety of private schools.
Board members approved the 2026-2027 school year bus routes. Board members voted to accept donations, including $2,460 for the Swanton Middle School book club, $1,335 for middle school volleyball jerseys, $494.71 for volleyball, and $115.76 for football.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Local School District Board of Education is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9, at 108 N. Main St.
Story updated August 24, 2026 at 10:14 a.m.