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Dear Editor:
Superintendent Mapes has resigned. As both a board member, and a father with children still in our schools, this loss feels deeply personal. It hurts. I wish I could’ve done more to avoid this outcome.
Mr. Mapes brought more than 35 years of outstanding leadership to Hamilton Southeastern Schools. He was quickly identified and unanimously selected by our full board. He successfully led districts across rural, suburban, and urban communities with unwavering professionalism, integrity, and a tireless focus on students first, winning local, state, and national awards along the way. He came to us determined to prioritize academics and real opportunities for every child. He did exactly that, exceptionally well. He’s been remarkably present with our students and community.
His resignation is a genuine loss. It hurts because a leader of his caliber is exceptionally rare.
Make no mistake; our ongoing local drama, rooted in the inability to find common ground ultimately drove him away. Despite his proven experience, our persistent meddling, undermining, accusations, and lack of trust made it impossible for him to lead effectively and refocus our district. We had an opportunity to benefit from his steady and experienced hand, but both internal and external forces pushed him away.
I was elected in 2022 to address the hyper-politicization that had overtaken the district during COVID. Families saw district communications calling America “inherently racist,” policies asking staff to conceal a child’s name, pronoun, or gender changes from parents, surveys asking students to tally friends by race or sexual orientation, and even open opposition to law enforcement. Many of us felt this culture crossed into indoctrination rather than education and didn’t reflect our values.
I campaigned to return the focus to strong academics, safe schools, and teacher support without political influence. I truly believed this would lower temperatures and restore the culture we used to know.
Superintendent Mapes stood with me in this endeavor.
We were wrong.
Soon after our work began, a group of tenacious, partisan voices emerged, intent on revenge. They claim concerns about transparency, fiscal responsibility, nepotism, and tone, but those are not honest concerns. They just sound better to moderates and sell better than demanding a return to COVID times. They are deceptively raised to stir anger and build support for a single outcome: removing Superintendent Mapes, flipping the board, and returning to that ideology.
The underlying demand from many has been complete partisan loyalty: conform politically or face relentless attacks on your reputation and your family. They dominate social media, public meetings, and community conversation, amplifying minor matters while ignoring any success. These criticisms often turn deeply personal, even extending to Mr. Mapes’ wife, a 30-year, highly respected teacher in her own right.
The Hamilton Southeastern family is still filled with good, kind, hardworking people; families, teachers, and neighbors who care profoundly about our children. That heart is still strong.
The drama and culture shift are coming from very few people, but at incredible volume. November gives us another opportunity to decide once again who will represent us, but our culture and our future is up to the rest of us. I will participate going forward as only a father and husband and pray for the leadership of others to find unity where I could not.
I have total respect for Superintendent Mapes. I thank him for his incredible contributions. I also have faith in our city. I remain hopeful that together we can still find common ground and preserve what drew so many of us here years ago.
Benjamin Orr
Husband, Father, School Board Member