Other parents, like Rick Smith, 56, merely wanted information. "How does the school rank?" he asked, though he was told officials don't rank schools. That's up to parents in consultation with their children. "I'm just trying to understand the source of the concerns," Smith said later.
Reybold said her group has spent two years seeking statistical information about the school's problems. She, the PTSA and the Gator African American Parents group spent months seeking a chance to meet with elected school board members to talk things over. Reybold complained that parents had to file a public information request to pry unflattering facts from school system officials. They've been seeking a meeting and discussion since September 2009, she said.
