An Enemy of the People

By all accounts, Board of Education Member Tom Sessan is a good person. Former Superintendent of MRDD, Rotarian, and Tiger Football fan. As Superintendent of the Board of MRDD, Seesan was a true professional, helping those in our community least able to help themselves. He then ran for the Massillon School Board. Mr. Seesan wanted to get the DREAM (Developing Resources for Education and Athletics in Massillon) project back on track.

As a School Board Member, Tom Seesan quickly learned that the cost of the Paul and Carol David foundation's involvement in the DREAM project came with a few conditions. Seesan balked at making the Massillon Tiger Football Coach, Jason Hall, the Athletic Director for all sports, and making Alex Wood, the offensive coordinator, Assistant Athletic Director. Superintendent Lisa Carmichael opposed this, and Seesan backed up his Superintendent. This action by Seesan was quickly condemned by members of the Massillon Tiger Football Booster Club, and various other self proclaimed "Friends of the Program." A number of Boosters and "Tiger Insiders," are threatening to vote down Massillon's school renewal (not a new tax) levy to show their anger at football not given its place of supremacy in the Massillon School District. As a result of Seesan's vote, he is now an Enemy of the People.

The "Friends of the Program," many of whom have never picked up a football, let alone played high school football, are not done yet. They have a plan. They plan on forcing Seesan to resign, because he did not vote to "restructure" the athletic department to the "Tiger Insiders" liking. They are now putting up yard signs throughout the community asking for his resignation. They want to pressure him to resign so that they may appoint a new school board member, unelected by the community, who will properly take care of football as a member of the school board. Look for someone like Ron Pribich, the ultimate insider and confidant of Massillon's Mayor for Life, to seek the appointment.

The primary concern of a school board should be educating the children of the school district. It should not be the prize in some proxy fight over who runs a high school football team. The Massillon Review hopes Tom Seesan tells these "Friends of the Program" where to stick their yard signs, that he is staying, and if they want to be on the school board, they can get elected to it like he did.