Multiple members of the public used the Jan. 8 public‑comment period to press the board on two major concerns: the district’s continued use of artificial turf on school grounds and alleged systemic failures in special‑education services at specific schools.

Laura McSwain of the Water Fairness Coalition described site visits to recently rebuilt campuses with turf and asphalt and said high surface temperatures (she reported seeing 100 degrees on site and cited reports of turf reaching 200 degrees) create safety concerns for children and staff. Diane Henry, who has tracked turf‑conversion costs, told trustees she was disappointed turf conversions resumed after a pause and urged the board to consider life‑cycle cost comparisons and to ensure turf projects do not compete with urgent facility needs.

Separately, Zerena Harrison described alleged systemic failures at Mabel Holgard Elementary, including claims of poor supervision, inconsistent instruction, unreported physical restraints and retaliatory actions against families; she said a federal class action filed in December 2024 alleges district‑wide failures in special‑education compliance. Britney Joseph, a CCSD employee and parent of children with IEPs, accused staff at a named middle school of misapplying district rubrics, denying accommodations and failing to follow procedures when students reported racialized bullying; she said her family experienced what she characterized as retaliatory discipline.

District staff and trustees thanked speakers and noted their comments would be part of the public record. Board members did not take immediate action on the allegations; staff clarified that comments would be added to the record and that turf funding questions had been addressed earlier in the meeting (CFO Justin Dayhoff noted turf funding comes from Fund 315).