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Public commenters press board over trespass notices, alleged school assault and district response
Summary
Several public commenters told the board June 9 they were concerned about district-issued trespass letters, policing of speech at meetings and an alleged assault at Prairie Park that families say has not been adequately addressed.
Public comment on June 9 included multiple speakers who raised concerns about district transparency and how the district has handled specific incidents.
A speaker identified as Michael said he received a permanent trespass letter from the district after confronting a board member about a book-related matter; he alleged the letter mischaracterized his conduct and said he recorded interactions that would contradict the district’s description. He asked why the district had trespassed him and asserted he had not broken the law. He was cut off by the presiding officer when his language became profane.
Another speaker, Carrie, said she had been told she was trespassed at a prior meeting and described receiving a letter that characterized her conduct; she said she has a recorded interaction that she says disproves the district’s claims. Carrie said she sought clarification from police officers at the meeting and that officers did not act against her. She said the trespass letter had not identified specific threatening conduct.
Dr. Justin Spies raised free-speech concerns about inconsistency in enforcement of board rules, said he was circulating a local petition about uncensored speech at meetings and asked the board to accept it.
Dr. Courtney spoke about an alleged assault at Prairie Park earlier in the year and said it has been 119 days since her family learned an instructor had been arrested for assaulting one child and that other families later learned the instructor allegedly assaulted additional children. She said families have described the district’s response as silent or insufficient, that some parents and teachers had left, and that nonverbal special-education families were fearful about sending children back to school. She said she had sought follow-up conversations with district leaders and had not received substantive responses. “The district has had 4 months to step up to help prevent [sexual/physical] assault in the future and to help heal some of the harm the incident has caused to our community,” she said, and asked the board for concrete steps and better communication.
The board did not take action during public comment; the district’s public-comment policy and procedures were read into the record before the public-comment period began.
