January 13, 2006

Lacey becomes Ohio's first openly gay school board member

by Eric Resnick

Dayton--Ohio�s first openly gay school board member was sworn in on January 10.

Joe Lacey began his four-year term by taking the oath of office administered by Dayton Public Schools treasurer Stan Lucas before a crowd of 150 at the Jackson Center.

Lacey and three members re-elected in November were sworn in with little ceremony before the board�s first business meeting of the year, where members re-elected board president Gail Littlejohn and approved contracts.

Lacey faces challenges getting started as the board�s newest member. His victory broke up a powerful coalition controlled by Littlejohn, who was also on the November ballot.

Of the four, Littlejohn was the top vote getter and Lacey was third, knocking off one of her close associates and finishing with more votes than another.

Lacey said his choice of Lucas to swear him in was an attempt to reach out to the school administration.

Among those in the crowd were Lacey�s partner Tony Ballis, members of the area GLBT community, neighbors and members of the city�s Southeast Priority Board, of which Lacey is also a member.

Lacey was assigned to serve on the school board�s Policy Committee and the Athletic Review Board.

Ballis said that a caller to the couple�s home, who claimed to be a member of the Ku Klux Klan, left a message telling Lacey to �get out of town� and �get out of the country.�

�We�re not taking it too seriously,� said Lacey.

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