Parents and employees decry lack of summer meals, bus safety and communications conduct at Cobb County school board meeting
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Summary
Public commenters at the June 12 meeting accused the district of failing to provide summer meals for students in need, criticized the Communications Department and demanded action on longstanding bus maintenance and worker-pay concerns; speakers also pressed the board for a public update on bus safety.
Several public commenters at the Cobb County School District board meeting on June 12 pressed the board on student meal access, transportation safety and the conduct and spending of the district’s Communications Department.
"What was the reason for leaving kids hungry this summer offering no meal program when so many Cobb students qualify for free and reduced lunch," asked Jennifer Susco, a public commenter, adding that "You'd rather spend taxpayer money on more employees" than support summer meals. Susco also questioned the district’s response to bus mechanics’ safety concerns and alleged that the district had "handed $1,000,000 to your already bloated ... communications team."
Melissa Martin told the board she felt compelled to speak after seeing the Communications Department recognized by the board: "This communications department just received awards ... they called us bad guys, accessed student data in an effort to intimidate them into not speaking at a board meeting," she said, and asked why the board had not publicly defended constituents or responded to prior concerns. Martin also pressed for an on-the-record update about bus maintenance concerns raised two months earlier.
Reki May Parker described a workplace condition for bus drivers: she said restrooms at a South Cobb transportation shop were locked at 5:15 a.m., leaving drivers without access and forcing makeshift solutions; she asked the board to "give the school bus drivers access to bathrooms" and called it "an easy fix."
Andrew Cole, who identified himself as a "Cobb grad, Cobb dad," criticized the district’s tone on growth and housing, saying an apartment complex affected enrollment and urging elected officials to hold public town halls and engage residents rather than ignore them.
Board members did not engage with speakers during the public-comment period; the chair reminded attendees that the board does not respond during the allotted 30 minutes. The comments combined employee safety/maintenance issues and policy/communications grievances and called for clearer public responses and resource reallocation.