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Hernando board debates moving student representative off dais after online attacks; students and parents push back
Summary
Board member Ms. Rodriguez proposed removing the student delegate seat from the dais to protect minors from online harassment; students, parents and teachers urged keeping the role visible while strengthening protections. The issue drew emotional public comment and a personal statement from the student representative.
The Hernando County School Board spent extensive time on May 26 weighing whether the student representative should continue to sit on the dais during meetings after reports of online harassment targeting the student. The discussion followed public comments from teachers, parents and students urging the board to preserve student voice while adding safeguards.
Board member Ms. Rodriguez said the change she supports is aimed at protecting minors. "We have both a moral responsibility and a duty of care to safeguard students from foreseeable harm," she said, arguing that the current climate of online attacks on student representatives makes the seated-dais format potentially harmful. Rodriguez emphasized she was not proposing to eliminate student voice but to restructure the program so students could still present and participate without being placed at the center of public attacks.
Student representative Jasira Abdul-Rahim, who delivered a closing statement, said the controversy had taken a toll on her mental health but that she still believes in student leadership. "I have been in positions of power and sat on boards outside of this room... I'm always trying to do what's best for the students moving forward," Jasira said, urging the board to consider who is affected by the decision.
Public commenters expressed strong views on both sides. Lisa Miserendino, president of the Hernando Classroom Teachers Association, raised staffing and retention issues in her public comment; Holly Record, a teacher and parent, urged the board to strengthen protections and keep the student representative seated. Several parents and students described the role as meaningful for civic education and student leadership; one student speaker asked the board to add an anonymous reporting tool to the district’s ClassLink platform for students to report disrespectful staff behavior and safety concerns.
Board members said they would follow up on suggested steps, including looking into anonymous reporting mechanisms and staff training for respectful communication. Ms. Rodriguez reiterated that while she supports student leadership opportunities, she will prioritize what she views as student safety and well-being when considering program structure.
Next steps: Board members committed to follow-up with staff on an anonymous reporting option and to discuss possible program changes for student representation ahead of the next school year.
