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Students and community members press board on books, budgets and lunch debt; church donates $19,000 to clear lunch balances
Summary
Public commenters urged the board to restore removed books, reconsider virtual‑day policy and budget priorities; student protesters demanded a 4.3% tax increase and the return of removed texts, while Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren presented a $19,000 donation to eliminate student lunch debt.
Several community members and students used the public‑comment period at the Jan. 27 Elizabethtown Area School District board meeting to press the board on curriculum choices, budget priorities and school culture.
Amy Carr, representing the Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren, announced and handed a $19,000 check to the district to retire outstanding student lunch debt. "This payment is intended to fully pay off all outstanding lunch debt regardless of need or circumstance," Carr said, noting additional funds have been secured to address future lunch debt and offering the church as a partner for outreach.
Student speakers were prominent. Senior Avery Grosch said students feel ignored and disrespected by recent board conduct and policy decisions. Speaking on behalf of student protesters, Grosch described regular morning demonstrations at 7 a.m. and demanded a 4.3% tax increase to reverse program cuts. She also called for the return of books removed from libraries and curricula and asked that student representatives be retained to give ongoing input to the board.
Other residents pressed the board on literature decisions. Elizabeth Lewis asked where AP Language exemplar texts were posted and urged the return of The Hate U Give, The House on Mango Street, The Glass Castle and Sylvia Plath’s poem "Daddy." Several commenters, including Marybeth Witkowski, described how reading The Glass Castle shaped their views and urged trustees to consult educators and read materials before removing them from courses.
Speakers also debated virtual weather days and device use. Christy Moore defended recent virtual snow days as educationally meaningful and asked the board to seek broader input from teachers, parents and students before changing policy. Thea (surname in transcript) thanked the board for attention to air‑quality testing and suggested using longer‑term monitoring tools.
Ending
Board members acknowledged the comments; some said they would review the curriculum materials and follow up on requests for information. The donation to clear lunch debt drew explicit praise and gratitude from trustees and staff.
