At a recent Oil City School Board meeting, two members of the public, Melissa Bensink and Hillary Wisniewski, voiced opposition to the board seeking additional legal counsel from the Independence Law Center, citing its religious affiliations and stance on LGBTQ+ issues. Wisniewski also presented a petition with over 100 signatures, opposing the use of public funds for further Title IX legal opinions. Despite the objections, the board narrowly approved the Independence Law Center to provide pro bono advice on Title IX matters, while a motion to authorize a second legal opinion from Dillon, McCandless, King, Coulter and Graham, LLC failed. Discussion also arose around delays in scheduling a Title IX expert from Knox Law to address the board, leading to frustration among members. In other decisions, the board amended its community input policy and accepted a $134,626 grant for school security improvements.
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