Jackson School Board members go to court to seek protective order

JACKSON, Mich. (WILX) – A dispute between two members of the Jackson Public Schools Board of Education made its way to the courtroom on Thursday.

It all started when a school board member asked a Jackson County judge for a protective order against the board president.

In the courtroom, Board Trustee Kesha Hamilton said she was allegedly harassed by Board President Pam Fitzgerald on multiple occasions over several years, with some instances dating back to 2021.

“The board meeting on August 20, 2024, was in closed session and the defendant again attempted to demand answers from the petitioner in an aggressive, disrespectful and threatening manner,” Hamilton said, reading his written statement aloud. “Approaching the petitioner aggressively and causing the petitioner to feel very unsafe.”

Hamilton also described another instance in which he was allegedly approached by Fitzgerald in the parking lot and Fitzgerald blocked the door to the meeting room, preventing Hamilton from leaving.

According to Hamilton, most of his confrontations with Fitzgerald took place in closed sessions.

However, Fitzgerald said none of the allegations were true.

“I wasn’t approaching him, I wasn’t chasing him, I wasn’t doing anything like that,” he said. “It was just walking out the door. We’re all walking out the door.”

Ultimately, Circuit Court Judge John McBain denied Hamilton’s request for a Personal Protection Order, or PPO. Instead, she ordered the women to find a neutral third party on the matter, attend board meetings held behind closed doors, and ensure that things proceed smoothly and without any aggression.

Still, Hamilton said he was happy with the outcome, telling News 10 he only went to court for resolution because he believed he had no other option.

“I didn’t expect them to give me the PPO because I understand the parameters around the PPO,” he said. “But I just said I didn’t know who else to go to, and the court gave me exactly what I wanted, so I’m grateful.”

The question on the minds of many in the courtroom was: What caused the tension between Hamilton and Fitzgerald in the first place?

There were a few vague references to political differences in the courtroom, but neither side offered a clear explanation.

Both Hamilton and Fitzgerald told News 10 they are ready to find third-party representation to help resolve their issues.

Judge McBain said he would keep his file on the dispute open, citing the possibility that the matter would return to the courtroom if it could not be resolved elsewhere.

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