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Public commenters urge school naming, dance-floor repairs and Juneteenth recognition; board approves personnel appointment
Summary
During public comment, residents asked the DD2 board to name a new elementary school for Charles Studemeyer, raised safety concerns about a concrete dance floor at Fort Dorchester High, and asked the district to recognize Juneteenth; the board later approved a marketing communication specialist after executive session (6-0, 1 absent).
Three members of the public addressed the DD2 board during the June 24 public-comment period.
Brooks Moore nominated Mr. Charles Studemeyer for consideration as a namesake for one of the new elementary schools, describing Studemeyer's more than 50 years in education and listing awards and service. "Who, may I ask, is more deserving to have a school named in their honor?" Moore said.
Parent Joanne Holiday urged the board to inspect and fix the dance room floor at Fort Dorchester High School, saying the current subfloor is concrete covered only by a Marley dance surface and that students have been injured. "The dance floor is cement. They are dancing on concrete," Holiday said, recounting her daughter's injury and asking the board to act so students do not have to forgo activities.
Parent Christian Du Bois pressed for clarity on whether the district recognizes Juneteenth as a holiday and asked how the district sets its holiday schedule. Du Bois said he had called district staff multiple times without a clear answer and asked for guidance on the procedure for recognizing holidays. "I would like the district to recognize it," he said.
The chair reminded the room that board members do not respond to public comments during the meeting but that staff would follow up with commenters.
On personnel, the board convened in executive session to consider one specialist position. After returning to open session, a motion to accept the personnel recommendation for a marketing communication specialist was moved by Mister Farnsworth and seconded by Miss Bates; the motion carried (vote recorded as 6 in favor, 1 absent). The meeting adjourned thereafter.
Votes recorded at the meeting used the consistent tally "6 in favor and 1 absent" across multiple motions (consent agenda, committee reports, personnel actions and adjournment).
