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Parent raises equity concerns and volunteer restrictions; board and administration say volunteer approval is an administrative decision
Summary
A public commenter urged the board to support a student Diversity Club and criticized district volunteer practices; the superintendent and the board attorney said principals control volunteer access and that personnel or volunteer disputes should be handled administratively rather than during the meeting.
During the public-comment period Rochelle Riddle addressed the board about the district's Diversity Club and access to volunteers and mentors for students of color. Riddle said she has volunteered in district schools for years, that club members have provided peer mentoring and data for staff, and that she and other volunteers have faced restrictions. She told the board her son will not attend the district next year because he does not feel safe.
Riddle described the club as "a light in the dark" for students and said club members and mentors provided support for younger children. She said that despite multiple offers of help, she has been told she cannot volunteer in schools and that she has been treated as a security risk despite background checks. Riddle said she was "begging" the board to seek help and urged the district to take students'expressed concerns seriously.
The board and administration responded. One board member said, "As a board, you have a you have a group of people right here ... we make decisions that is the best for all students," and emphasized the board does not decide volunteer approvals. The board attorney clarified that volunteer approvals and in-school access are administrative decisions made by the superintendent and principals and said the administration had previously warned Riddle about required volunteer rules. Superintendent Doctor Ballinger told Riddle the board and superintendent support principals and said the board would not hash out allegations in open session; she offered to pursue private follow-up and to ask administration to revisit volunteer access with school leaders.
Why it matters: the comments raised questions about district volunteer screening, whether school staff and leadership are responding to concerns raised by students of color, and how the district balances community volunteers with safety and policy compliance. Commenters said the club gathered qualitative and quantitative data about student experiences, and Riddle said students reported feeling isolated and unsafe.
What's next: the board directed that the matter be handled administratively; the superintendent offered to follow up with school leaders and asked that private channels be used for investigation and resolution rather than extended discussion during the public meeting.
