Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment School Operations Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents and residents press board on restroom supplies, school safety and leadership at Gaither
Summary
During public comment at the Jan. 14 meeting, speakers raised concerns about locked and undersupplied school restrooms, leadership and culture at Gaither High School, and weapon incidents and canceled pep rallies at King High School.
Several members of the public used the three-minute public-comment period at the Jan. 14 Hillsborough County School Board meeting to raise operational and safety concerns at multiple schools.
Tina Williams Brewster, who identified herself as a parent, told the board the district must ensure restrooms have basic supplies and are not locked to students during lunch periods. "I'm really sick and tired of my daughter coming home and telling me she can't go to the restroom. There's no toilet paper. There's no tissues. We now, you know, have no soap," she said. Brewster urged principals and custodial staff to address restroom patrols and supply availability.
Alan Brewster described repeated complaints about school leadership that, he said, took years to resolve at previous schools. Speaking about Gaither High School, he said persistent concerns about leadership and culture remain and asked the board, "How long is it gonna take to change the leadership at Gaither?" He urged the district to address discrimination and staff behavior that parents and students reported.
Mead Lewis, a community speaker and local nonprofit board member, discussed school safety at King High School, saying the district had canceled pep rallies after repeated weapons incidents. He cited a manufacturer's price for a walk-through metal detector and framed his remarks around the cost per student as a way to question whether the district is doing enough: "When will this district and King High School value human life more than $19?" Lewis concluded.
An earlier, confrontational public commenter disputed the board’s civility policy and waved a court ruling; board staff asked members of the public to avoid personal attacks and to direct comments to issues. The board’s civility procedures and the three-minute limit were explained by staff before the comment period.
Board members and staff did not take action during the meeting on these public comments but the concerns were heard publicly and will be part of ongoing oversight and school-level follow-up, per staff procedures.
