Public commenters press board on school safety, public comment rules, principal conduct and vacant buildings

Dozens of community members spoke during the public comment period, raising concerns over discipline and safety at specific schools, access to investigative materials, and changes proposed to the public comment process.

Principal misconduct and staff actions: Several speakers described alleged misconduct and retaliation by Mason Elementary staff. Danielle Stephens said her son suffered physical assaults on campus and that she faced retaliation and restrictions after reporting the incidents; she asked the board to remove the principal. Teresa Smith, a Charles R. Drew Transition Center staffer, said she is facing termination over what she described as a false allegation and urged the board not to fire her. The superintendent said he will re-review the Mason follow-up and communicate updates to the board.

Requests for investigative materials: Steven Lett requested the release of investigation files related to his personnel case, seeking audio, witness statements, reports and other evidence. The superintendent recommended counsel coordinate with the employee's attorney regarding what can be provided through FOIA or that an ALJ consider during a tenure commission case.

Vacant school safety: Residents from the Van Zyl neighborhood said the boarded school has been repeatedly breached, used for parties and was the site of a recent fire; they asked the district to board the building more securely or move toward demolition. The superintendent confirmed Van Zyl is a district-owned vacant building slated for demolition under the facility master plan and said he will present demolition and boarding recommendations at the January retreat.

Public comment process and virtual access: Multiple commenters urged the board not to limit public comment or create content pre-registration requirements, arguing that proposed changes risk First Amendment concerns and curb community access (public commenters cited recent experiences with black screens and difficulty following Zoom registration). One virtual commenter, Lauren Chapman, also highlighted the importance of pools in new site plans for Pershing and Cody and urged the district to consider pools in equity planning.

Sanctuary district policy and other items: Dr. Richard Joseph thanked the board for a prior sanctuary district policy and urged continued commitment given potential federal enforcement changes. Other public commenters asked about class-size reductions tied to lawsuit funds and called for improved bus shelters in neighborhoods with school closures.

Follow up: The superintendent pledged to review several items, including the Mason matter, the Van Zyl property and the book distribution issue raised by a commenter, and to report back to the board.