Should he have stayed? A deep dive into Hickman Mills’ firing of Superintendent Yaw Obeng

By Kathy Feist

On July 8th, the Hickman Mills School Board relieved Superintendent Yaw Obeng of his duties and named former Superintendent Dennis Carpenter as Interim Superintendent.

Obeng was terminated for “no cause.” In a closed session, five board members voted in favor of the termination while one abstained.

“No cause” allows for compensation in the form of a severance package and provides a non-disparagement agreement among the school board members and superintendent. True to form, little has been shared with the media.

The Hickman Mills Board of Education President Bonnaye Mims released this statement:

“We are grateful to Dr. Carpenter for stepping into this role with such dedication. His leadership, institutional knowledge, and passion for our schools make him the ideal person to guide us forward during this transition.”

The announcement comes as a surprise to those in south Kansas City. Obeng had made strides with the Hickman Mill’s School District.

Yaw Obeng

Obeng says he was surprised and disappointed by the announcement. “I just got a new contract recently and it was unanimous,” he said. “I was excited.”

Obeng was hired in 2020 after serving five years with the Burlington School District in Vermont. During his administration Hickman Mills experienced an improvement in student test scores. Having lost full accreditation in 2012, the district was on the cusp of gaining it back this year. At a meeting in April, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education praised Obeng and the school district, but ultimately denied the new status based on a policy change. A new review would take place in 2026.

Obeng says in-house metrics already indicate improvements in literacy, numeracy, science and social studies, as high as 92%. He is certain next year will see reaccreditation. “It’s undeniable now,” he says.

Obeng claims discipline has been reduced and more high school students are engaged with internships.

Other advances included a second middle school and a Real World Learning Trade Center.

“We have kids who are graduating from our welding programs and getting straight into jobs,” he says.

Obeng’s administration also saw the passage of a school bond and tax levy in 2022 that raised salaries, leading to higher teacher retention and better recruitment, and ultimately better student testing.

“I really wanted to finish the programs and strategic plan that we developed and executed,” he says. “But I take solace in knowing that the benefits are going to happen for a lot of students and staff. I just hope, and I wish, the district well.”

Sunshine Law filed

Many believe what led to Obeng’s dismissal was a trip to Ghana in November.

Not finding school board approval for the Africa trip, Mims, then a board member, filed a Sunshine Law request on February 27th asking for all financial receipts for the Ghana trip, upcoming China and New Orleans (convention) trips, plus receipts for all out-of-state travel associated with Obeng since he was hired five years ago.

Under the Sunshine Law, requested records must be provided within three days, unless there is reasonable cause for an extension.

The school district responded to Mims on February 28 saying they would need more time for such a sizable request and gave March 14th as a more suitable deadline.

But after three days, Mims lost patience.

On March 3rd, she filed a whistleblower complaint with the state auditor notifying him of the travel expenses. Additionally the letter expressed concerns over the purchase of boardroom furniture ($116,934.80) and the cancellation fee with a technology company ($1,407,895.29). The state launched a whistleblower investigation.

On March 5th, Mims filed another complaint with the attorney general’s office claiming the school district violated the Sunshine Law.

After some miscommunication regarding the deadline, the school district finally fulfilled Mims’ Sunshine Law request on March 21st. The case was closed by the attorney general on April 4th.

Questionable expenditures

The state is still investigating the whistleblower complaint regarding the trips, technology fee and board room furniture expenses.

The trip to Ghana occurred November 23-30 and included a delegation of nine people, including local dignitaries who paid their own way.

The trips to Ghana and China were funded through two government grants: Federal Program Title IIa and the State of Missouri Comprehensive School Improvement Grant. The cost for the Ghana trip was $14,000.

The termination of the contract with K12ITC & Civic ITC resulted from frustration with the company. According to records, Hickman Mills was paying the tech company over $97,000 a month. Amid complaints of unresponsive support and poor inventory, the contract was terminated. The termination fee of $1.4 million fee was paid on October 3.

The purchase of furniture from Modern Business Interiors was also paid on October 3rd. The date coincides with the October 1st grand opening of the new Real World Education Center and Board of Education room at 103rd and Hickman Mills Drive.

Cause for Dismissal

When the state completes the whistleblower investigation, it will either close the case or open for a full audit.

One wonders, if the case is closed, then was the superintendent’s dismissal justified? Obeng’s contract, renewed for three for more years this past spring,  will now be bought out to the tune of  $370,000. Could differences have been ironed out?

Currently no policy exists on the state or district level that says field trips must be approved by the board of education. The State of Missouri only requires the Superintendent to approve all aspects of a trip. Could a policy outlining board approval have been implemented instead of Obeng’s termination? 

A “no cause” dismissal allows termination for any reason or no reason at all. “No cause” also means no one can talk–at least on record.

In April, Mims was voted President of the Hickman Mills Board of Education. Many say, off record, that Mims and Obeng had a personality conflict. Some say Mims wanted a superintendent with a doctorate degree, which Obeng did not have. Over the years, many have expressed concerns over the influence that local political organization Freedom Inc has over Hickman Mills’ school board members.

Obeng says his termination was never about the questionable expenditures.

Whatever the reason, the faith in Obeng’s ability as superintendent had been shaken and the board voted for his removal.

Dr. Dennis Carpenter

Based on Hickman Mills’ past, Mims may have reason to be hyper sensitive to errors.

Mims was President of the Hickman Mills School Board from 2008 to 2012. It was 2012 when the school district first lost its accreditation status.

As a result, the superintendent retired and Mims settled into the role of school board member. The board hired Dr. Dennis Carpenter in 2013. He had previous experience as deputy superintendent of the Newton County Schools in Covington, Georgia, an award-winning school district.

Carpenter had stepped into a mess. He inherited a district that not only lost full accreditation but was also being audited by the state.

An investigation of years 2011-2012 found 15 cases of errors termed poor business practices by the state auditor. They included overpayment of a former superintendent, poor management of records and excessive paid trips out of town. Concerns were also raised over no bid contracts.

Carpenter brought a glimmer of hope. In 2014, the student APR scores increased by nearly 19 percent. Eventually, improvements were seen in graduation rates and student attendance.

In 2017, Carpenter left Hickman Mills to become the first Black superintendent of Lee’s Summit schools, a largely white community. Carpenter proposed diversity and inclusion programs to help decrease the gap in the number of suspensions between white and Black students. But the school board and community would have none of it. His contract was bought out in 2019 for $750,000.

Carpenter returned to his home state of Georgia, started some consulting companies and became the owner of a smoke and vape shop.

“I am honored to return to HMC-1 during this time of transition,” he said in the school district announcement. “This district holds a special place in my heart, and I look forward to reconnecting with the community, supporting our schools, and ensuring stability as the Board conducts its search for a permanent leader.”

Carpenter will serve as interim superintendent as the search for a full-time superintendent begins.