Latest news with #TashaPotter
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Penfield board resumes public meetings after threat concerns
PENFIELD, N.Y. (WROC) — The Penfield Board of Education welcomed back the public Tuesday after cancelling both of its March meetings. This came after threats following a February board meeting where parents expressed concerns over a book available in the library. And the way in the door was not business as usual. As soon as you walked in the door, you were met with security who did a thorough search of everyone's bags and jackets, and then you were scanned by the metal detectors. The district said this was essential after those threats received. Penfield CSD addresses 'threatening and vulgar' messages That unresolved meeting in February had a number of parents planning to express their concerns over a book 'The Rainbow Parade,' which is said to show illustrations of men and women at a pride parade wearing limited to no clothing. The school board called a recess after what the district said was yelling and name-calling. That name calling continued via phone and email to Superintendent Tasha Potter and the board. Keira Mahar is a mom of a Penfield student and said now that the community is invited back, it was important to show up. 'I would rather not need to come to a school board meeting. I elect the people that I feel will represent my views. I trust them to do their jobs, and I would prefer to not need to come to school board meetings, but I'm here for solidarity,' Mahar said. Superintendent Potter took a moment to address all that has ensued in the past two months — expressing gratitude to the board and local authorities for their help in selecting the right security to be able to move forward. 'The one thing that we wish that would have been able to do during all of the decisions that were being made was to solicit input and feedback from our families and our community at large. However, because of the stress, we were unable to do that,' Dr. Potter said. The Assistant Superintendent reminded families 'The Rainbow Parade' and two other books are currently being reviewed by an appointed committee to determine if the titles should stay in the library, 'The committee members at this point have been tasked with reading the book in its entirety prior to the committee convening,' she said. Then, came time for public comment. The three speakers allowed to speak praised the district for its efforts over the past few weeks. 'I and every single one of my senior friends were appalled at the comments. The comments are disgusting,' one resident said. 'Your work isn't easy, and you keep showing up, and I want to acknowledge that,' another said. Residents like David Ruise told News 8 he was disappointed that no one from the opposing side was able to speak Tuesday. 'It seems maybe like they feel like they're not going to be heard, and maybe they're discouraged to speak. But on the other side, it's good for the other side to see that things are peaceful here and we can agree to disagree,' he said. The next board meeting is set for April 22 at 6:30 p.m. The security protocols seen Tuesday night will remain in place. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Yahoo
Penfield CSD addresses ‘threatening and vulgar' messages
Editor's Note: The full list of messages, which was sent out by the district to families, can be viewed at the bottom of this article. Please note some of the material may be offensive or disturbing to read. The district has redacted vulgar language. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Penfield Central School District addressed messages sent to the district, which officials described as threatening and vulgar in nature, this week after a contentious board meeting last month. The district sent a letter to families on Friday and provided censored examples of the messages that they received, which they said included racist language and violent content. Penfield Superintendent Dr. Tasha Potter said they cannot share more details as investigations continue, but they emphasized that safety is their priority. Last month, the school district canceled some meetings due to the threats. They said those threats were sent via email and voicemail. The threats came following a school board meeting where parents had concerns over a book called 'The Rainbow Parade,' which, according to the description, follows a child free to express their gender identity during a pride parade. Hannah Pascucci has two kids in the district. She told News 8 Wednesday that having concerns is valid, but she said she believes this was not the way parents should have approached it. 'I couldn't talk to my teenager about the messages the district received because they were so upsetting,' she said. 'They {the school} had to pull the high schooler who was on the board because it wasn't safe for that student anymore. That's so distressing.' Pascucci also made note that she's worried about the future of the board, and hopes this doesn't stop people from running and keeping a healthy school board with different perspectives and opinions. We also spoke to a Penfield resident, Erica Cortese, who said she was at that board meeting that night in February. 'What I saw is a room filled with parents ready to talk to the board and air their concerns, and the board from the get-go acted like they didn't want to hear what they had to say to begin with. This all was started with them leaving the room,' she said. Other parents who reached out to News 8 said they were worried about the safety of the students as well as the administrators. Earlier this month, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office told News 8 that none of the threats rose to the level of criminality. You can read the full statement from Dr. Potter below: Dear Penfield Families,We have received multiple FOIL (Freedom of Information Law) requests regarding the vulgar and threatening emails and communications recently directed toward the District. While we are unable to share specific details about each communication due to the ongoing criminal investigations, we want to be transparent with our community. Therefore, we are providing redacted examples of the types of messages that we have received and continue to receive (see below).Although we have received many negative messages, I also want to recognize the overwhelming number of positive messages of love, care, and kindness we have received. I believe it is these messages that truly reflect the values of our community, and the values that we want to instill in our children. Please know that we deeply appreciate these messages of we navigate these challenging times, we encourage families to have conversations at home about the importance of civil discourse, especially when addressing hate. We will continue to work with local and state law enforcement, as well as community partners, to ensure the safety and well-being of our District. You can read the messages sent below in full, please note, some of the content may be disturbing to viewers. redacted_sampling_of_hate_messages_2025Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Yahoo
Penfield suspends BOE meetings amid threats, inappropriate messages
The Penfield Central School District has canceled its Board of Education meetings scheduled for March 4 and March 18 due to threatening and inappropriate messages directed at board members, according to district officials. In a letter to district families on Friday night, the district reported receiving approximately 200 messages—via email, phone calls, traditional mail, and the district's 'Contact Us' form—since a contentious February board meeting was abruptly halted due to 'disruptive and offensive conduct.' 'The language used in these messages has been discriminatory, racist, homophobic, and outright inappropriate,' the letter states. 'This kind of behavior is unacceptable in any community, especially one that strives to be safe, inclusive, and welcoming for all.' According to the district, legal counsel reviewed 84 messages submitted through the school's online contact form, as well as three voicemails. Their findings included: 27 of the 84 messages contained threatening language. Seven emails specifically targeted the Board of Education. Superintendent Tasha Potter received direct threats, some appearing racially motivated. Three voicemails left at the district office were deemed particularly disturbing. In response, the district announced that board meetings will reconvene on April 8, 2025, with 'enhanced safety protocols' in place. Additionally, student participation in meetings will be suspended for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year due to security concerns. Planned safety measures include: Hiring a safety and security coordinator. Increasing school security services. Continued collaboration with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, which will maintain a presence on school campuses. Reviewing policies related to board governance and school safety. 'While these measures are necessary, they are not taken lightly,' the district stated. 'The safety and well-being of our community are our top priorities, and we must work together to ensure that the district remains a place of respect, safety, and inclusivity.' Despite the meeting cancellations, the district emphasized its commitment to community engagement and encouraged residents to share concerns via email at boepublic@ The February board meeting became heated as community members debated the inclusion of The Rainbow Parade, a children's book featuring a young girl attending a Pride parade with her two moms. Parents expressed differing views, with some arguing the book was inappropriate for children and others supporting its representation of diverse families. Tensions escalated further when a man in a gorilla suit wearing a MAGA hat entered the meeting. Superintendent Potter and Board President Emily Roberts stated that the behavior of some attendees left a student representative visibly shaken. 'They claim to protect students, but I question that claim because they left one student, whom we were able to observe, visibly shaken,' Roberts said at the time. The meeting was shut down. In response, the district paused public comments for the March and April meetings to 'restore a positive environment where respectful conversations can take place.' This story includes reporting from Democrat and Chronicle reporter Kerria Weaver. — Madison Scott is a journalist with the Democrat and Chronicle who edited our Weld Street Project and also did reporting for it. She has an interest in how the system helps or doesn't help families with missing loved ones. She can be reached at MDScott@ This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Penfield suspends BOE meetings amid threats, inappropriate messages
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NY school board meeting descends into chaos over ‘LGBTQIA+' book as parents voice outrage
Outraged upstate New York parents took over a school board meeting this week — demanding to know why their elementary school children were exposed to an 'LGBTQIA+' book that included depictions of naked people and bondage enthusiasts. A large and animated crowd of parents gathered in a Monroe County auditorium on Tuesday and voiced their concerns to the superintendent and Penfield school board about their young children having access to the book 'The Rainbow Parade: A Celebration of LGBTQIA+ Identities and Allies.' The controversial book tells the story of a young girl and her two mothers attending an LGBT parade and follows a child who is exploring their 'gender identity.' The book's lesson for kids is to 'break down stereotypes and embrace diversity,' according to a description. 'The Rainbow Parade' includes depictions of a naked person shown from behind, furries, and a gay couple outfitted in leather, BDSM (bondage/domination/sado-masochism) attire. Students that were shown the book were in grades 1 through 5 — meaning they are roughly ages 5 through 11. Parents in Penfield were not pleased and let Superintendent Tasha Potter get a taste of their anger. 'If you think that that's appropriate for children to see, then there's something wrong with you,' John Feathers, a father, said at the meeting, according to WHEC, adding, 'You need to have a mental evaluation. There's no reason that should be in the schools whatsoever at all.' 'You can see the guy's butt is clearly out,' Feathers said, referencing one drawing in the book, 'And then if you go over on this side of the picture, there's two guys standing in bondage right there.' Potter tried to quell parental outrage by referencing proper procedure for filing objections to school materials — but was quickly and overwhelmingly booed. 'We are here at our board meeting, conducting our business,' Potter patronizingly said to parents — who then booed particularly loudly. 'Its our board meeting,' said one parent who was filming the surreal conclave. 'We pay you!,' another male parent shouted. As the boos rained down — the school officials called the meeting to a close without officially hearing any public comments. 'They're just leaving?,' the parent filming the event said in disbelief. Video from the contentious meeting went viral and even Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk has weighed in on the controversy. The richest man in the world quoted a video posted by Libs of TikTok writing only, 'A kindergartner…' The Penfield School Board did not respond to The Post's request for comment.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Penfield Central School District Superintendent responds to display ‘rooted in hatred'
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – The Penfield Superintendent Dr. Tasha Potter confirmed that parents disrupted the Board of Education meeting Tuesday night. In response to the disruption, the school board President Dr. Emily Roberts ended the meeting and board members walked out. In a conversation with News 8, Dr. Potter made a statement about what she calls the hatred rooted in a disturbing display at the meeting Tuesday. 'I want to make the community aware of the harm and hatred that was centered in the room last night when we had someone dressed in a full gorilla costume,' she explained, 'if you think about the historical context of someone being dressed in that manner and having a black Superintendent and members of the board of education that are both black and brown I think was extremely harmful'. Despite repeated requests that the public follow proper protocol, audience members were heard interrupting board members Tuesday night. Parents expressed concern about the book 'The Rainbow Parade' by Emily Neilson. The book includes illustrations of men and women at a pride parade wearing limited to no clothing. Dr. Potter says no official objections have been made and officials pointed out that one of the community members speaking on behalf of the group does not have a child who attends Penfield School District. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
