Parent Patrice Ellis alleges coach threatened her son at Jan. 27 game

Patrice Ellis told the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools Board of Education on Feb. 23 that she filed a formal complaint after an incident she says occurred on Jan. 27 at Pasquotank County High School, where a head coach threatened her son while he was in the stands.

"The unjust treatment and embarrassment that my son received is taking a toll on him," Ellis said during the public-comment period, adding the episode has caused him anxiety, put his military plans on hold and interrupted his training. Ellis said she contacted school administrators before posting about the incident on social media and that she is still awaiting a meaningful response.

Chair Angela Cobb thanked Ellis for her comments; the board made no public response or announced any follow-up action during the meeting. The district’s public comment policy was read aloud before Ellis spoke; the board’s rules state members will not respond to public commenters except to request clarification.

Ellis said she was bringing the matter to the board to make the community aware of the incident and to seek clarification and accountability. The board did not vote or direct staff publicly on specific next steps during the meeting, and no district response to Ellis’s complaint was presented in the superintendent’s report that followed.

The complaint Ellis described appears unresolved in the meeting record. The board’s published minutes or a follow-up communication from the superintendent’s office would be the next likely public record if the board or district staff takes formal action.