Parents press Florence Unified board over alleged cheer-team bullying; supporters defend coaches

At the March 11, 2025 Florence Unified Governing Board meeting, several parents raised concerns about alleged bullying and inconsistent discipline in the Florence High School varsity cheer program, while other community members spoke in defense of the coaches and the program.

The comments came during the board's open call to the public. Amanda Reyes, a parent, said she has been pursuing the matter for weeks and urged clearer, consistent consequences after she said a teammate sent a death threat by text message and was suspended from school but not removed from the squad. “A death threat should not be brushed off or minimized, and yet that’s exactly what happened in this case,” Reyes said, adding she had “been fighting for fairness for 47 days.” She told the board she had documented the incidents and planned to provide a packet of evidence after the meeting.

Other parents praised…