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Parents and employees raise concerns about bus assault response and grievance process at Spring ISD meeting
Summary
Two members of the public asked the board for more timely communication and records after an alleged student assault on a district bus and raised concerns about the grievance process and scheduling of Level‑3 hearings; one speaker who is subject of an employment action addressed the board about FMLA paperwork.
During the public participation portion of the April 8 meeting, two speakers told the board they were dissatisfied with the district's handling of safety and grievance matters.
Thomas Avila said his son was assaulted on a Spring ISD bus and described delays in obtaining information from the school. Avila said he arrived at the school multiple times and waited for administrators, that the vice principal "never got back to me," and that he had been waiting seven days for documentation of the school's investigation into the incident. "I'm waiting on the documentation for the investigation that the school concluded," he told trustees. Avila asked the board for improved communication and timely delivery of investigation documents.
Dr. Keisha Menifee (identified herself as an educator) said she intended to respect the district's grievance procedures but asked the board about how to proceed when she believes grievance timelines and scheduling were unclear. Board counsel reminded her that pending grievances that have not completed the district's Level‑3 hearing process should not be discussed in detail during public participation because such disclosures could require recusal later. The board advised that a Level‑3 hearing before the board would be the appropriate forum for a full evidentiary presentation.
Also during agenda participation, employee Tiffany Collins addressed trustees about proposed nonrenewal related to attendance and said she was on FMLA; she provided paperwork and told the board her most recent summative evaluation was "proficient" with strengths listed in the evaluation. HR staff confirmed FMLA records are on file and noted medical information would not be part of the open record if reviewed in closed session.
The board did not take action on the public comments during open session but acknowledged the concerns and noted the district's grievance policies (cited as DGBA, FNG, GF in the public‑participation instructions) as the formal channels for personnel complaints and that the board will not respond to complaints in open session when a grievance is pending.
