Parents, students tell Shelby County board Sheffield High locks bathrooms, suspends pupils

A trio of public commenters at the Shelby County Board of Education special call meeting on April 1 urged the board to address student discipline and access-to-restroom policies at Sheffield High School, saying the school's practices have left students feeling "unseen" and unsafe.

The speakers said the Sheffield campus keeps bathroom doors locked during the school day, requires students to wait in long lines to enter campus, and subjects some students to in-school suspension (ISS) in ways that prevent them from receiving instructional materials. "They keep the doors to the bathrooms locked," said Alicia Padilla, who identified herself as the mother of two Sheffield students. Padilla said her daughter was told she faced a 10-day suspension, was denied paperwork, and later was told the suspension was only one day.

Student speaker Camilla Potter said classroom time is lost when students must wait to enter school and that restroom access is restricted to lunch periods. "We feel unseen. We feel unsafe at school," Potter said. Community member Cassio Montes said parents had been denied meetings with the principal and supported student protests and walkouts over the concerns. "She needs to be gone," Montes said, referring to the principal at Sheffield.

Board Chair Coleman and staff responded during the meeting by arranging a follow-up: Director of Schools representatives will meet with speakers and district leadership. At the close of public comment, the chair asked a senior leader to follow up with the families who spoke.

The comments came before the board took up two contract votes later in the meeting. Board members and counsel referenced the student remarks when discussing expectations for the interim superintendent's role and conduct. "These are serious concerns," Board member McKinney said during the superintendent contract discussion, urging the interim superintendent to listen to students and avoid threats to suspend them when they express dissent.

Speakers at the meeting were limited to three persons and given three minutes each, according to board rules announced at the start of the session. The board chair noted public comment procedures are governed by state statute and that speakers must submit comment cards prior to the meeting.

The board did not take any formal disciplinary or administrative action related to Sheffield High during this meeting; instead, commenters were promised follow-up with district leadership and a senior staff meeting to address their concerns.