Parent tells Battle Creek Public Schools board that Central athletes’ morale is 'broken,' urges leadership review

Tamara Robins Robertson, a parent and community member, told the Battle Creek Public Schools Board of Education on March 23 that student-athletes at Battle Creek Central are suffering low morale and declining confidence and urged the board to review the program’s culture and leadership.

"Right now, our kids' spirits are broken," Robertson said, adding that surveys collected from athletes, parents and community members have been delivered to the athletic director. She described what she called "a lack of fundamental teaching skills, limited development structures," multiple coaches giving conflicting direction and instances where players were spoken to in "demeaning" ways that erode students’ confidence.

Robertson said the problem goes beyond on-court performance: "These are confidence issues, identity issues, mental health issues," she told the board, and warned that when students feel repeatedly unsupported "you don't just lose games, you lose kids." She asked trustees to "take a serious look at the culture of this program, to listen to the voices of athletes and families, and to take action that restores what's being lost. New leadership is needed."

The comment was made during the public-comment portion of a meeting that did not have a quorum; the board did not discuss or respond to Robertson’s request on the record at the March 23 session. Board staff confirmed that Robertson said surveys were handed to the athletic director but provided no further detail during the meeting on any specific next steps or timelines for staff follow-up.

Why it matters: The complaint links student well-being to coaching and program culture at a district high school; the board sets policy and oversight for district athletics and could request staff reports or an independent review to evaluate allegations, confirm facts in the surveys, and recommend corrective steps. The district’s public materials (discussed later at the meeting) highlighted student supports and upcoming community engagement opportunities, but no action on the athletic program was scheduled at the March 23 meeting.

School leaders and trustees told the room the absence of a quorum prevented votes or immediate decisions; the board moved several agenda items to the April 13 meeting. The board has not announced a formal investigation or review schedule in response to Robertson’s remarks. The superintendent and athletic director were referenced as recipients of the surveys but did not present a response during the session.

The next procedural step recorded in the meeting was that consent and new-business items were moved to the April 13 meeting; the board adjourned without taking formal action on Robertson’s comments.