RICHMOND, Mich. (WXYZ) — A crowd gathered in Richmond on Monday to support a school board member currently deployed overseas with the U.S. Air Force after other board members suggested he should have resigned.
Ray Stier, who has decades of military experience, began serving on the Richmond Board of Education in January 2025.
Watch Demetrios Sanders' video report below:
His wife, Amy Stier, said he was deployed overseas in October. Initially, he continued to juggle his military service with his position in the district.
"He asked to put software on his computer and he started zooming live on meetings from over there. It was an eight-hour difference," Amy Stier said.
However, over the last two months or so, Ray Stier has had to miss meetings because he no longer has virtual capabilities.
During a March 23 meeting, several board members said his absence is creating challenges, especially as the district looks to hire a new superintendent. Some suggested he should have stepped down.
"I respect what he has to do. I do like feel he's doing quite a disservice to our district by not resigning before he had to leave because of the position we're currently in because now, we are a board of six with an interim superintendent," Sandra Fortuna said.
"I want Ray to come home safely to his family, but it has been a disservice not having him here," Margaret Teltow said.
The comments left some people angry, including Amy Stier.
"A disservice? What disservice has he done? He did what he could," Amy Stier said. "He's in a war zone, so why are we going to sit there and make him feel bad?"
Before and during a Richmond school board meeting on Monday, crowds gathered in support of Ray Stier.
"Ray Stier did not stop caring about our schools the day he put boots on the ground overseas. He simply added the weight of another form of service to his lifelong commitment," one man said.
Amy Stier added her husband has no plans to resign and believes the other six members can work around his current absence.
"Work together. Make it so you don't have tie votes," Amy Stier said.
The president of the Richmond school board said members have been advised by an attorney not to discuss the situation.
During the meeting in question, some members did come to Ray Stier's defense.
"I felt like his commitment to the role, even being far away, was impressive," Sarah Gillies said.
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