PHM ends ban on parent/veteran for posting meme of board president after 2.5 months

MISHAWAKA, Ind. — REAL News Michiana has obtained a letter showing the Penn Harris Madison School Corporation finally lifted its politically motivated no trespassing order against a PHM parent of four children in the district. This comes one day after the St. Joseph County Police Department closed its investigation into the parent for posting a meme that was critical of the PHM School Board President. Detectives found no crimes were committed and confirmed the St. Joseph County Prosecutor would not seek charges. It also comes only days after a member of the school board requested Indiana State Police intervention into the sham investigation that appeared to be fueled by political retaliation from school district administration and leaders of the PHM School Board.

“This letter is to inform you that the St. Joseph County Police… notified me late yesterday afternoon, December 4th, that the police investigation has concluded and the case is now closed. With that update, the P-H-M Safety and Security Team met this morning and completed our safety review. The team concluded that the no-trespass order is no longer needed.” An email from PHM Director of Safety and Security Tommy Teeter read reads. “Effective immediately, you can resume visiting and conducting personal business on the campuses of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation schools, facilities, or surrounding properties.”

Ben Dallas, a parent of four children in the school district, had been banned from school property since September. According to a letter Dallas received, the ban stemmed from a video he created and posted to YouTube in which he uses a popular meme from the movie The Matrix. The meme shows the main character, Neo, dodging bullets being fired at him. In the meme created by Dallas, Neo is depicted as school board president Chris Riley. Instead of dodging bullets, Riley is dodging words that come across the page. Those words include “accountability,” “hiring sex workers” and “implicit bias” — all things Riley has been accused of ignoring in the PHM School Corporation. PHM claimed the video below is considered a threat of gun violence.

Chris Riley submitted a report to the St. Joseph County Police Department claiming the above video was threatening gun violence against him and PHM. Investigators concluded their investigation on October 5th, determining no crime was committed. However, the ban on the parent remained and, weeks later, RNM learned the SJCPD reopened the investigation — only to close it on Monday with the same results.

HOW WAS THE INVESTIGATION REOPENED?

Questions about how and why the investigation into the parent was reopened still remain unanswered, with certain members of the school board being left in the dark. However, Dallas has been extremely critical of Redman. In the past, Dallas has created and posted videos to his popular YouTube channel, calling out Redman’s apparent corruption including his misuse of tens of thousands of dollars in DARE funds. RNM has also learned SJCPD Sheriff Bill Redman and Board President Chris Riley have a fairly close relationship. In fact, Redman endorsed Riley last year.

OBVIOUS RETALIATION

Dallas has been extremely vocal and critical of PHM, its administration and school board members for several years. He has spoken out about Critical Race Theory, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, radical gender theory and the district’s employment of a drag queen who works as a paraprofessional with developmentally disabled children.

While the district claims Dallas was banned from school property for the “threatening” meme, the banishment came only ONE DAY after the US Department of Education came down with a ruling showing the school district violated the civil rights of straight white students — all stemming from a formal complaint filed by Dallas.

Dallas was also successful in another complaint that he filed against PHM earlier this year in which the school district violated Indiana open door laws. That case is currently being used as an example by the state as how school boards should not behave in an article titled “Guidance from the Public Access Counselor on Public Comment at School Board Meetings.”

One week after PHM banned Dallas from school grounds, the PHM School Board Vice President sent Dallas’ employer a message on Linkedin in an attempt to get the father of 4 fired from his private sector job.

“I thought you should be aware that one of your employees… uses these platforms to post some disturbing social media post.” PHM School Board Vice President Ryan McCullough wrote in his message on September 28th. While a screenshot of the message can be seen below, RNM has redacted portions that could identify the parent’s employer.

VETERAN DISCRIMINATION

REAL News Michiana learned from multiple sources last month, the Penn Harris Madison School Corporation has been maintaining the ban because Dallas is a combat veteran. According to two sources who wish not to be named out of fear of retaliation, Superintendent Jerry Thacker said PHM is finding ways to keep the ban against Dallas because he is a veteran and he owns guns. Dallas retired from the Army in 2016. He did two combat tours, one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.

In October, RNM learned the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) opened another investigation into the Penn Harris Madison School Corporation focusing on apparent retaliation the school district has taken against Dallas.

The School Board’s next meeting is Monday, December 11th, at 7:00pm.

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