Public commenters urge support for school libraries, farm‑to‑school and clarity on lunch funding

At the April 13 board meeting, a range of members of the public addressed the board during the three‑minute comment period about library materials, school food funding and mentoring programs.

Paul Weisselbaum opened public comment by urging the board to celebrate school libraries and librarians and warning against what he characterized as censorious efforts to limit access to classroom and library materials. "Parents have the right to learn what their children are reading in school libraries," he said, arguing for parental oversight while warning against broad removal of books from school collections.

Brett Werner, who identified himself as a parent and said he is employed by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, urged the board to pursue a Henderson County farm‑to‑school program modeled on successful programs elsewhere to lower food costs, shorten supply chains, and reinvest dollars locally. He recommended the district partner with county farmland preservation for dedicated funding and local procurement.

Several commenters, including Robert Cannon, asked the board to address a continuing shortfall in the child‑nutrition program. Cannon noted that the district raised lunch prices at last month's meeting and highlighted the gap between staff goals for per‑plate cost and the federal reimbursement rate for free and reduced lunches. He urged the board to plan for the shortfall and communicate the need for assistance to parents, the public and congressional representatives.

Other speakers praised district programs such as the Pathfinder mentoring program and urged board support for continued funding. The board thanked commenters and moved on to the consent agenda.