Parents press board on discipline, 504 support and alleged improper removal of a student

Several parents and residents raised sharply worded concerns about disciplinary decisions, special‑education supports and administrative accountability during public comment at the Middlesex County School Board meeting.

Dawn Moore (Saluda District) said parents expect the board to oversee policy enforcement and asked for mandatory, ongoing training in diversity, inclusion and mental‑health support for staff. "We are expected from the administration...to be accountable to the constituents in your district," she told the board, and urged better communication and follow‑through when problems are raised.

Curtis Williamson, speaking as a parent and former coach, described his son’s long exclusion from school and argued that removing students—particularly those with disabilities—should be a last resort. "I just don't think kicking kids out that has a disability ... is the answer," he said, urging alternatives that keep students connected to classes and supports.

A parent identified in the transcript as Seeds Grum (Locust Hill) alleged that an administrator, Dr. Bishop, "illegally removed my child from school" in October and said an appeal was rejected for a procedural wording issue. The speaker accused administrators of failing to provide promised supports, raised concerns about racism and bullying, and said arranging 504 meetings has been difficult. The speaker said they had documentation of the removal and urged accountability.

Another resident asked the board to present future testing‑score reports broken out by ethnicity and special‑education status so the community can track progress for different student groups; that speaker also recounted an incident in which a student with ADHD was told by staff they were "behind 100% of the United States," and asked whether that language is appropriate.

Board members did not take immediate action on the complaints at the meeting; the public‑comment period closed following the speakers. The concerns raised centered on discipline practice, the timeliness and accessibility of 504/IEP meetings, staff training, and requests for more disaggregated data on student outcomes.