Residents press board on alleged AI mailer, bullying and lawsuits during public comment

Several residents used the public comment period to raise complaints about the board’s handling of recent controversies and to ask for more transparency. Ms. Jensen (speaker 6) said an offensive AI‑generated mailer depicting two local parents began circulating months ago and that photos of two board members appeared on the back. "Once again, your silence is ownership," she said, adding that students were denied the chance to speak at previous meetings.

Other commenters urged the board to strengthen anti‑bullying responses and to avoid legal actions that residents said undercut civil‑rights protections. Ms. Kobelka (speaker 8) recommended requiring community service for students found to have bullied others and suggested broader, more inclusive field trips and curricular materials.

A resident (speaker 7) asked whether the promised I‑Ready end‑of‑year data and bullying policy updates would be provided, and urged more elementary clubs such as chess to increase student engagement. In a later, longer comment Mr. Ebert (speaker 9) accused the board of violating open‑meeting laws, restricting public access to meetings, and spending about "$260,000 on bogus lawsuits," saying those funds coincided with cuts to teaching positions and arts budgets. The board responded in part: Superintendent (speaker 1) said he had released a statement to media and described current work with the Long Island Coalition Against Bullying, and the chair reminded the public how and when data presentations are made.

None of the allegations about the AI mailer’s sender or the lawsuits’ merits was resolved at the meeting; the board recorded offers to follow up and to provide additional public presentations and data updates.