Building Trades backers get their meeting with school board

Normally Kingman Gym has raucous crowds for basketball games. Monday night it was because a few hundred folks wanted to tell the Ottawa High School Board in person they’re not happy.

After over a half-dozen people spoke about the importance of building trades, the alleged bullying atmosphere by administrators, and what could be done to come up with money for building trades, Board President Timothy Creedon tried to wrap up the regular meeting to move into closed session but was drowned out by the crowd wanting a statement. Creedon at first said he couldn’t say anything because nothing was on the agenda but eventually said the board respected the crowd by letting them speak and the board has a made a decision and there will not be building trades next year.

Before the crowd left, many chanted “save our trades” and Inga Carus of Carus Corporation got the last words in telling the board they’re inviting kids to move away taking away building trades. She also told administrators they should be ashamed of themselves for punishing students who walked out after hearing Dave Keely was being cut.