Illustration of OCTELA Email Privacy Leak incident

OCTELA: Sarah Ressler Wright’s Misconduct Spurs Resignation Calls

Amid significant turmoil within the Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA), the Sarah Ressler Wright misconduct has drawn severe criticism for her actions as a board member and interim web administrator. Together with Cameron Carter and Karen Carney, who have engaged in their own personal data breaches, their collective actions have compromised the organization’s integrity and mission. The trustees are now demanding resignations from all board members including Wright, Carter, and Carney, citing their collusion and the critical threats posed by their misconduct to OCTELA’s foundational standards. This situation has triggered a crucial review of governance and data management practices, highlighting an urgent need for comprehensive organizational reforms caused by the remaining 7 board members that are not all complicit in the horrendous behavior of the organization.

Detailed Misconduct by Sarah Ressler Wright: Sarah Ressler Wright has been implicated in a series of actions that breach OCTELA’s standards for integrity and professionalism:

  • Data Privacy Breach: As Registrar and interim web administrator, Wright mishandled the importation of membership data, resulting in a public exposure of personal identifiable information (PII) of more than 1000 members data. This serious lapse in data protection has opened the door to potential data harvesting. Sarah Ressler Wright imported this data into the new website and left the barn door open!
  • Defamation and Misinformation: Wright has been accused of disseminating defaming information about former board member and Executive Director to external parties, including former member doctorate professor at University of Dayton. This action not only sowed discord within OCTELA but also damaged the organization’s reputation.
Social Media Defamation
  • Inappropriate Communications: Utilizing her roles to engage in back-channel communications, Wright attempted to leverage previous Board of Trustee communications for unclear and possibly unethical purposes. And sent to yet another doctorate holder. And Sarah Ressler Wright misconduct was called out on it!
Dr Winship Response
  • Breach of Trust and Transparency: Her actions in handling confidential documents and communications have violated OCTELA’s principles of trust and transparency, as detailed by the Trustees in their call for resignation.

Trustees’ Response and Ultimatum: The OCTELA Trustees have issued a stern ultimatum to Wright and other current board members, demanding their resignations within 48 hours. This demand comes as a direct response to the “blatant violations” and the need to restore ethical governance within the organization.

Trustees Demands Resignations

Impact of Wright’s Actions on OCTELA: Wright’s misconduct has had a profound impact on OCTELA, threatening its ability to attract and retain members and undermining the trust and respect it has cultivated over decades.

Call to Action: The Trustees are prepared to assume temporary governance to oversee a transition to a new board that embodies OCTELA’s cherished values of integrity, transparency, and professionalism.

Conclusion: As OCTELA faces this critical juncture, the focus remains sharply on Sarah Ressler Wright misconduct and her fitness for her role within the organization. The path forward will require decisive action to address these serious allegations and to reinstate the trust and ethical standing of OCTELA.