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Amherst resident asks board to publicly affirm support for students targeted by federal actions
Summary
At a public-comment period, Jeff Good asked the Amherst Central School District Board of Education to issue a public statement affirming support for students he says may be affected by recent federal government orders. He told the board the superintendent declined to issue such a statement on Feb. 27.
Jeff Good, a community member who identified himself as a parent, used the public-comment portion of the Amherst Central School District Board of Education meeting to ask the board to issue a public statement affirming support for students affected by recent federal government actions.
Good said he contacted district leadership and the board on Jan. 31 and that, in a Feb. 27 reply, “the superintendent informed me that he would not release a public statement.” He said he came to the meeting to ask the board directly to publish one.
Good told trustees he was “grateful to live in New York State, which has some of the strongest anti-discrimination protections in the nation,” and urged the board to use clear public language to reassure students. He read suggested wording for a statement that said the board and district are “committed to valuing and supporting all students, and are focused on creating a welcoming and affirming environment where every student feels respected, safe, and celebrated, regardless of their identity.”
Good told the board he made his request because district leadership and staff do not demographically match the student body and he feared silence could lead some students to question whether they are supported. He provided his name and an address during his remarks.
Board meeting rules read at the start of the public-comment period noted “policy 15 10” limits speakers to three minutes and that “state and federal privacy laws” prevent discussion of personnel matters or specific student information. Good acknowledged those limits and framed his request as a public statement of district values rather than a personnel matter.
The board did not respond during the meeting. Good asked that the board take “timely action” on his request.
Provenance: Excerpted from the meeting transcript during the public-comment segment where Jeff Good presented his remarks and the board’s opening instructions on public comments.
