Parents and community members press Pasco board on student safety and transparency

Speakers during the public comment period raised sharply different concerns about student safety and district transparency.

Nicole Foxworth, who identified herself and her address for the record, said her daughter — a current student at Pasco Middle School — was sexually assaulted on campus over months and that district employee failures left her daughter needing ongoing trauma‑focused therapy. Foxworth said the family has already paid thousands of dollars for treatment and characterized the district’s settlement offer handled by its third‑party claims administrator (CCMSI) as inadequate. She asked the board to ‘‘finish what it started’’ by taking responsibility and ensuring her daughter’s medically necessary therapy is fully covered.

Another public commenter, Tori Tiffany, alleged inconsistent documentation and a lack of transparency around how the district posts meeting recordings and how it performs formal policy reviews. Tiffany cited Florida Statute 120.74 and said her own 'Let's Talk' submission was uploaded inconsistently in January; she urged the board to align practice with policy and be explicit about changes to public comment procedures.

United School Employees of Pasco representative Kimberly Garrett praised the district’s decision to close a campus after heavy smoke from the Starkey fire, said communication prioritized student and staff safety, and told the board UCEP will continue to monitor issues including school start times and accelerated options.

The board acknowledged the speakers; the chair thanked them for participating and noted the district listens to public comments. There was no immediate board action recorded in response to the specific legal claims raised during the public comment period; the board did vote on agenda items later in the meeting.