Parents speak at GISD meeting regarding volleyball spitting incident

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Two volleyball parents expressed their concerns to the GISD school board Monday, Oct. 21 regarding an alleged spitting incident involving the team.

Robin Clack and Marina Melgar spoke to the board during public comments about volleyball varsity players spitting their teammates’ water and the water reserved for another school’s team. The students are not being named as the incident remains under investigation and minors are involved. It is also GISD policy not to name students involved during an incident.

I feel like UIL policies and procedures are not being taken care of with (one student) because she was able to participate in sports at last Friday's game and she's still in athletics. I feel as if that if it were another student, it would have been taken care of in a different way,” Clack said.

Clack suggested that the board follow UIL rules and hold up to code regarding the incident.

If the child was on the street doing the thing that she did, it would have been handled in a different way. So I feel like the punishment is not fitting the promise right now that we have for this child, and it was actually two students. So if it was in the real world, both students would be punished, not just one,” Clack said.

Melgar has a daughter on the team who drank from the tainted water and alleged that the coaches threatened the players to not speak of the incident, she said.

You can't speak of it because you're gonna get kicked off the team, but you're allowed to spit in the water and not get kicked off the team. You know, make that make sense. I feel like because you're speaking on the truth of what happened — why still be on the team?,” Melgar said.

Melgar added that one of the two athletes is considered to be in leadership among GISD student. Melgar said it was embarrassing that a leader would be involved in such an incident.

You are supposed to be a leader, because that's what it is, leadership. So how are you gonna lead and set an example doing that? So you're being that leader? You're telling me it's okay, then my child can go and do it. Is that leadership skills? No, that's not. It's not leadership skills at all,” Melgar said.

I feel like because my daughter drank out of (the water jug) that was rude and disrespectful. So they have team dinners. I am now not allowing my daughter to go to the team dinners, because how are you going to sit at a table with someone that has done that to you — that's disrespectful,” Melgar said.

Melgar and Clack asked the school board what will happen to these two athletes involved in the incident and what punishment will they receive.

I feel like if we're really looking into the situation, we should actually find out, like, what's actually going to happen to this these. Students, because, I mean, if I was one of the children, I would be upset about the situation, knowing that my team is still participating in sports with us, and really the punishment should fit the crime,” Clack said.

The whole team should have been under investigation, so they should have pulled everybody in, not just that student herself, everybody, because they are a team, and that is what happened. It happened to the team. So that's just all I wanted to put out there,” Melgar added.

Gonzales ISD released a statement regarding the incident:

Gonzales ISD received an anonymous report notifying the district of the incident. GISD launched an investigation, and administrators were notified. The district does not comment on student disciplinary actions; however, we can share that the investigation is ongoing. Our unwavering commitment is to ensure that our learners and student-athletes feel safe in our learning environments — whether in the classroom or at a game. To ensure a safer learning environment, we are increasing the visibility of the Anonymous Reporting tool on our website. The GHS administrative team will follow the Student Code of Conduct to guide disciplinary determinations.”

In other news, the board approved the following agenda items:

approved an Interlocal Agreement with Bluebonnet Trails to Establish a Community-Based Counseling Program in Gonzales County and Associated Budget Amendment.

approved a Memorandums of Understanding with Mid-Coast Family Services for Services Connected with the Prevention of Substance Abuse, Family Violence, and Homelessness.

approved 2024-2025 District Improvement Plans and Campus Improvement Plan.

approved the 2024-2025 Emergent Bilingual Program

approved an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Gonzales and Gonzales County Regarding Parking Lot Improvements at Apache Stadium, Related Purchases, and Budget Amendment.

approved the 2024 Tax Roll Per Section 26.09 Texas Property Tax Code.

The board approved the following items upon returning from close session:

approved to an Update to the Guardian Program

approved the hire of Mary Lynn Ramirez as the new director of human resources for the school district.

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