Students ask board to reconsider teacher reassignments; administration cites personnel confidentiality and moves to executive session

Students, parents and club officers used public comment on June 10 to urge the board to reconsider personnel changes affecting music teachers and club advisers at Westbury High School. Multiple students described the impact of planned reassignments and requested reconsideration.

Student Melanie Luis asked for clarification on the transfers and was told by district administration that the details are personnel matters and cannot be discussed publicly. “Unfortunately, your question, we cannot discuss openly, because it is considered a personal matter,” the superintendent said, noting the district’s attorney was present.

Several students and a class officer described advisers’ long service and the emotional impact of the reassignments; they asked the board to “please reconsider.” The superintendent and administration said they had received the students’ emails and would not discuss individual personnel matters in public.

Later in the meeting the board made a motion to go into executive session to discuss items of personnel. Dr. Dickerson moved to go into executive session, Trustee Quintanilla seconded, and recorded votes were: Trustee Wilson—aye; Trustee Quintanilla—aye; Trustee Bolling—aye; Trustee Dickerson—aye; Vice President Ewing—aye; Board President Robert Traiano Jr.—aye. Trustee Keynes was absent. The motion carried and the board said it would be in executive session until no later than 11:00 p.m. The transcript records that Trustee Bolling left midway through the executive session.

No public details about specific personnel actions were discussed on the record due to confidentiality rules.