Parents, teachers and students urge immediate action at Presidential Meadows Elementary

Dozens of parents, teachers and students used the board's public‑comment period to accuse leadership at Presidential Meadows Elementary (PME) of creating a hostile environment and to demand immediate change.

Speakers said teachers had received disciplinary write‑ups for routine classroom decisions, that staff had not been provided clear grievance follow‑up, and that many experienced teachers have resigned. ‘‘Retaliation, surveillance, and silence are replacing what should be a culture of collaboration and support,’’ said Aurora Sarpal, who identified herself as an educator. Multiple speakers said they have filed grievances and that promised follow‑up from district leaders had not occurred.

Why it matters: parents and staff described effects on student wellbeing and learning, including children who say they feel unsafe in the cafeteria and students who reported anxiety about coming to school. Several speakers demanded the principal and her leadership team be removed immediately rather than wait for a later review.

Board procedure and limits: the presiding officer reminded speakers that, under the Texas Open Meetings Act, board members may not take action during public comment. Speakers nevertheless asked trustees to act, citing prior emails, surveys and dozens of teacher resignations tied to campus climate.

What speakers said: Maria Salas, a parent of two PME students, said more than 90% of the campus’s teachers had resigned and blamed ‘‘one leadership team’’ for a rapid unraveling of school culture. Lisa Ortiz, who identified herself as a third‑grade student, said lunch monitors often yell at students, restroom access felt unsafe and that ‘‘sometimes school feels more like a prison than a place where kids are supposed to grow.’’

Teachers described specific incidents they said illustrated an authoritarian approach. Amanda Dorner, who said she has taught at PME for four years, said she had been written up after supervising unsupervised students in a hallway and that her mental and physical health have suffered. Maria Mortis, identifying herself as a parent and professional educator, said she also received disciplinary action after making a supervisory judgment she judged necessary for student safety.

Support and outside voices: former trustee Johnny Velasco, speaking as a community member, said educators are ‘‘scared’’ and described staff departures and the district’s reduction‑in‑force as compounding the problem. Several other speakers who registered to comment did not speak or deferred their time.

Board response: Board members did not take action at the meeting. Trustees repeatedly thanked speakers and noted that public comment cannot trigger immediate board action; several trustees acknowledged they had received correspondence about PME and that the district has received grievances and resignations.

Next steps sought by speakers: many requested an immediate change in campus leadership, clearer and faster grievance procedures, and independent investigation of the complaints. The board did not announce an immediate administrative change at the meeting.

Ending: The public‑comment block concluded before the board moved into its closed‑session action items. The district’s personnel actions later in the meeting (nonrenewals and hiring decisions) were taken in closed session and then voted in open session; those voted items are recorded separately on the agenda.