Danielle Pearsall addressed the Lee's Summit School Board, highlighting urgent concerns regarding the deteriorating condition of the weight room and wrestling facilities at Lee's Summit North High School. Pearsall, a parent of a student athlete, presented evidence including images and testimonies to illustrate the hazardous state of the facilities, which she claims pose significant risks to student safety.

Since her son joined the school as a freshman in 2020, Pearsall has raised concerns about the need for updates to the weight room. Despite reaching out to the board of education in January 2023, she reported receiving minimal responses and no substantial action taken to address the issues. The weight benches are described as rusted and chipped, with peeling leather, and students are forced to exercise on the floor without proper mats, increasing the risk of injury.

Pearsall emphasized the gravity of the situation, citing that there were 482,000 exercise equipment-related injuries reported in 2023. With approximately 700 student athletes sharing a single weight room, the need for improvements is critical.

She acknowledged that a bond is being considered to fund facility upgrades across the district, noting that Lee's Summit North ranked fifth out of eleven projects reviewed by the Community Advisory Committee (CAC). However, she expressed disappointment that the committee did not visit the school to assess its conditions firsthand, which may have influenced the decision-making process.

Pearsall concluded her remarks by stressing that the proposed improvements are not merely desirable but essential for the safety and well-being of the student athletes at Lee's Summit North.