JACKSON, Mich – A legal review of the newly approved employment agreement for incoming Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Jeremy Patterson has uncovered a potentially improper last-minute edit by a school board member. In a letter dated June 2, 2025, attorney Brendon Beer informed the Jackson Public Schools Board of Education that board member Derek Dobies added a reference to the American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA), a labor union affiliated with the AFL-CIO, into the agreement without notifying the board or Patterson.

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The edit, made shortly before the board’s May 20 meeting, raises concerns of a conflict of interest since Dobies serves as Chief of Staff for the AFL-CIO of Michigan. Beer stated that Dobies should have disclosed his conflict, abstained from voting, and that the board should have held a separate vote without his participation. None of those steps were followed, according to the letter, making the contract’s ratification potentially invalid under Michigan law and board policy.

Beer also pointed out that Jackson Public Schools already has a labor organization representing administrators, and including AFSA could trigger an unfair labor practice.

The letter recommends removing the union reference and holding a new vote to properly ratify Patterson’s contract.

Source: Letter from attorney Coay T. Cadonalo, Abbott, Thomson, Mauldin, Parker, Beer & Lindsey, PLC, to the Jackson Public Schools Board of Education, dated June 2, 2025.