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Parents and teachers press Elk River board on coach conduct, class sizes and ethics
Summary
Speakers at the Nov. 10 public comment period raised concerns about a cheer coach's conduct and phone checks, class-size inequities, and alleged social-media targeting of a parent by a board member; the board acknowledged the complaints and said it will review policies and FAQs and consider ethics review requests.
Five public speakers addressed the board during the public comment period on Nov. 10, raising student welfare, class-size inequities and board conduct.
Sequoia Abbott, a Rogers High senior, described conflicts between cheerleaders and their coach, saying the coach checked students' phones and that teammates experienced "heartbreaking" comments that prompted a younger cousin to leave the team. "All the cheerleaders complain of the fact that... their coach checks their phone, which I feel is a bit invasion of privacy," Abbott said.
Lisa Olson, president of the Elk River Education Association (representing nearly 1,000 teachers), urged the board to monitor class-size inequities across schools and grades. She cited specific instances, saying there were "32 students in each fourth grade class" at Rogers Elementary and asking the board to ensure equitable learning conditions and to review behavioral data and open-enrollment impacts.
Janine Radnitsky, a Meadowvale parent, said a board member used images and comments from a prior meeting to criticize a parent on social media, reportedly including identifying information that led to online comments. Radnitsky asked the board to review social posts and "take appropriate disciplinary action based on the board's own code of ethics," arguing that such conduct chills public participation.
Board members thanked speakers and noted procedures for public comment and the facilities 'Let's Chat' portal for ongoing input. The board did not adjudicate personnel or privacy matters during the meeting; Superintendent Olmos and staff reiterated that concerns raised during public comment would be routed to appropriate staff and that formal processes exist for ethics inquiries.
