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Public commenters press SRVUSD on e‑motor safety, grading reform and book access
Summary
Trustees heard varied public comments: safety advocates urged a ban on throttle‑activated e‑motorcycles at middle schools; parents asked the board to pause grading reform; librarians and teachers defended a vetted author visit and warned against censorship; a student proposed a trash‑pickup incentive program.
A broad set of public speakers addressed trustees during the non‑agenda public‑comment period, raising safety, curriculum, grading and student‑led proposals.
Several speakers documented what they called a growing safety problem involving throttle‑activated electric motorcycles and high‑powered scooters parked at middle schools. A representative from a local advocacy group described a survey of seven middle schools that reportedly found more than 200 high‑powered vehicles and urged the district to prohibit throttle‑driven e‑motorcycles on middle‑school campuses and seek visible law‑enforcement enforcement at arrival and dismissal times. "Study does not protect middle school kids. Swift collaborative action does," a commenter said.
An attorney and member of Ebike Access urged trustees to ban anything with a throttle and an electric motor (class‑2 throttle devices and non‑street‑legal models), citing best practices in other nearby districts and warning that the manufacturers market high‑powered models as fast and unsuitable for sidewalks.
Trustees acknowledged the safety concerns; Superintendent Kamik said the district has been studying the issue, educating the community and exploring collaborative enforcement approaches with local law enforcement, while noting that bans in some nearby districts pushed parking just off campus.
Other public commenters raised different concerns: a parent requested the board pause planned grading reform, arguing a district that already performs well should prioritize consistent implementation and teacher support over sweeping system changes. Two secondary teacher‑librarians defended an author visit that staff had vetted and criticized the decision that resulted in the authors' not presenting at Country Club Elementary; Superintendent Kamik replied that school staff raised concerns about developmental appropriateness after earlier visits, the authors elected not to revise their presentation, and the district did not ban the book.
A seventh‑grade student proposed a school‑level initiative that would gamify daily trash pickup with classroom competitions and small incentives, which she said would reduce litter and engage students.
Why it matters: The comments reflect ongoing community debates about student safety, curriculum and the pace of policy change. Trustees did not take immediate formal action on these public‑comment requests but indicated staff will continue conversations with law enforcement and refine operational approaches where appropriate.
No formal votes were taken on public‑comment items at this meeting.
