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Several residents call for Trustee Brooks to resign after alleged disruptions at community meeting
Summary
During public comment at the Sept. 23 board meeting, multiple speakers accused Trustee Alan Brooks of unprofessional and disruptive conduct at a community Playhouse meeting and urged him to resign; others defended his actions. The board did not take action during the meeting.
Multiple residents used the public‑comment period at the Merced City School District board meeting on Sept. 23 to accuse Trustee Alan Brooks of unprofessional conduct at a recent Playhouse Merced meeting and called for his resignation.
Mickey D. Lovejo, identifying himself as a longtime local educator, told the board a recent public video "shows a member of our school board behaving in a way that is deeply troubling," and urged that person should not continue serving. "This behavior is not just unbecoming, it is a detriment," Lovejo said, citing yelling over speakers and attempts to drown out public comment.
James Jordan, who identified himself as a Playhouse Merced supporter, described the same behavior as "unprofessional, disruptive, and unethical," and said he believed the trustee should resign or be removed from board service.
Other speakers echoed those concerns. Heather Harrison said the conduct had been "embarrassing" and criticized what she described as attempts to invoke race accusations when challenged. Several commenters tied the allegations to concerns about how district leaders model conduct for students.
Not everyone at the podium agreed. Pamela Merritt Bennett said she viewed Trustee Brooks’s actions at the Playhouse meeting as a courageous attempt to speak against what she called a hostile environment; she thanked him and urged the board to weigh differing perspectives. Several other public commenters urged civil discourse and reminded the board that public comment items on unrelated topics could not be acted on that night.
Why it matters: Trustees are elected officials whose conduct in public fora is of interest to families and community partners; allegations of disruptive or abusive behavior can create calls for censure, resignation, or more formal investigation. Under state law the board generally cannot take action on allegations raised during public comment without proper notice on a future agenda.
Board response and next steps: Board members acknowledged the comments and reminded the public of meeting decorum rules and time limits. The board did not take disciplinary action or call for a vote at the meeting. Interested community members may raise the matter in a future agenda item or request a formal investigation through board procedures.
