This story was originally published by The Merced FOCUS.
Dozens of Playhouse Merced supporters attended the Merced City School District’s school board meeting on Tuesday calling on Trustee Allen Brooks to resign.
Four community members, including two educators and a parent, spoke during public comment and asked Brooks to step down from his elected position. Two others spoke in support of Brooks and commended his leadership.
The demand comes after Brooks’ behavior during a Sept. 10 Playhouse Merced board meeting that ended with police dispersing the gathering.
Long-time Playhouse Merced supporters, including former staff and sitting board members, are contesting his wife’s presidency on the board. Sheilah Brooks joined the Playhouse board in 2022. During the September Playhouse Merced board meeting, Allen Brooks interrupted and spoke over people, attempting to defend his wife.
“A recent public video shows a member of our school board behaving in a way that is deeply troubling,” Mikee-D Love-Asenjo told school board trustees and attendants during public comment. “This behavior sends a wrong message to our students about how we resolve conflicts, how we treat others, and how we lead.”
Love-Asenjo ended her statement with a call to have Brooks removed from the school board. The attending crowd erupted in applause, prompting a request by board president Priya Lakireddy to keep the applause to a minimum.
Pamela Merritt-Bennett defended Brooks’ character during public comment.
“I disagree with what I’ve heard,” she said, “I think he was very strong, and … you couldn’t find a stronger board member. I think you have a diamond right there.”
A total of six community members, including educators and parents, spoke before Lakireddy moved to cut the public comment portion of the meeting short.
Rhonda Batson stood at the podium ready to speak when Brooks turned to Lakireddy and Superintendent Julianna Stocking and said, “We’re done, we’re done. That’s it, that’s it.”
Behind Batson, former Merced City Councilmember Bertha Perez stood in line waiting for her turn to speak.
Lakireddy informed the public they would not be able to comment about Playhouse Merced due to a 20-minute limit per topic. Each speaker is allotted a three-minute time slot.
“So if it’s not related to Playhouse, you can make a comment,” she said.
Batson said she would save her statement for Thursday’s town hall meeting at Charles Wright Elementary School.
Lakireddy told The Merced FOCUS in an interview the next day that the board erroneously cut the public comment a couple of minutes short.
“I sincerely apologize for the error,” Lakireddy said. “Public comment is a cornerstone of our work as a board, and I want to reaffirm my commitment to ensuring that our community has a full opportunity to be heard. Going forward, I will be more vigilant in making sure the time allotted is accurate and consistent.”
Playhouse Merced parents and supporters said they will continue asking Brooks to resign.
“We’re not going to stop showing up until he’s removed,” Amanda Winn told The Merced FOCUS after public comment.
Later during the meeting, the Merced City School District signed a $120,554 contract with Playhouse Merced this summer for a program called “Bits, Skits and Gravy,” in which after-school students learn how to produce a play for the school community during an intensive two-week period. The program has yet to be executed.
The school board approved the contract, and Brooks recused himself from the vote, according to the Aug. 12 meeting minutes.
Allen Brooks declined to comment for this story after Tuesday’s school board meeting. The Merced FOCUS reached out to him again Wednesday and did not receive a response in time for publication.