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Parents tell Edinburg CISD board removal of ‘shadow’ aide and alleged melatonin use raise safety concerns; dance parents seek flooring fixes
Summary
During public comment, parents urged the board to restore a student’s one-on-one aide, raised a grievance alleging unauthorized melatonin spray use on cheer students, and requested the district prioritize sprung/Marley dance flooring for student safety.
Several parents used the public-comment period to press the Edinburg CISD board on student-safety and special-education concerns.
Carolina Perez told trustees the district planned to remove her child’s "shadow" one-on-one aide despite a teacher’s recommendation that the support continue for safety and academic reasons. Perez said the aid is necessary for her child to receive a free, appropriate public education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and alleged she faces retaliation for repeatedly advocating for her child. She asked the board and district directors to intervene and review the committee’s decision.
Tanya Olivares, a parent and physician assistant, urged the board to treat dance as a TEA-recognized fine-arts course that requires safe, industry-standard flooring. Olivares said roughly 140 students use a cement, hard and slippery surface for daily training and described repetitive knee and ankle injuries requiring MRI imaging and physical therapy. She asked the board to direct administration to obtain formal cost estimates for proper sprung or Marley flooring, place the item on the upcoming budget agenda and treat the project as a student-safety priority rather than deferring it indefinitely.
Leticia Palacio Quintini described her Level 3 grievance alleging that an EHS cheer coach used melatonin spray on students’ pillows during competitions without parental consent. Palacio Quintini said the district’s grievance process has delayed a Level 3 oral presentation and that melatonin spray is not allowed under district policy. She said the incidents were reported by students and raised concerns about consent, boundaries and possible health risks; she called for greater transparency and accountability.
Board members and counsel did not immediately announce specific remedial actions in response to public commenters. The board later moved into executive session under Texas Government Code §551.074 for personnel matters; after closed session trustees reported no action was taken there.
The district’s presentations earlier in the meeting focused on budget pressures, and staff said follow-up items will include further data and director-level responses at upcoming workshops or meetings as appropriate.
