NEW HANOVER COUNTY — A local activist and parent is the second person in two years to be issued a trespass notice from New Hanover County Schools district staff, despite heated board meetings over the last couple years.
Last week, Sandy Eyles went before the New Hanover County Board of Education to appeal a notice banning her from school board and committee meetings due to “disruptive behavior.” The board voted to uphold the ban, but shortened it from 12 to eight months.
READ MORE: NHCSB members cite First Amendment, Bible in debate to shorten activist’s trespass ban
On top of filing a formal complaint to the district, Eyles is now questioning the district’s small number of trespass notices in recent years. In her appeal, she said she was being singled out for violating policy 5020 — outlining visitor conduct — when others in the past have also violated it, seemingly with no repercussions.
Since 2021, district staff have issued one other trespass notice. On July 29, 2021, Superintendent Foust notified former Wilmington City Council candidate Mack Coyle his presence on NHCS property was prohibited, unless given written advance permission, for 12 months.
Coyle was banned during the summer when the school board was bombarded with protestors amid discussions on LGBTQ rights, teachings on race, Covid-19 masking, student suspensions and more.
READ MORE: Case closed: No charges in NHCS superintendent’s intimidation report against activist, watchdog
In perhaps the most intense meeting, the school board recessed before it could conduct any business on July 13, 2021 due to an uncontrollable audience. The video shows people using loud and offensive language and “displaying of temper” — all violations of policy 5020. The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office detained one attendee, Don Mckoy, for “displaying disorderly conduct,” according to prior PCD coverage. It was also reported two people came close to engaging in a physical altercation outside of the board of education building.
Policy 5020 was not adopted until July 20, 2021, following those school board meeting outbursts from a week earlier. The policy details prohibited behaviors and stipulates the superintendent may issue a trespass notice based on those behaviors.
However, the district has issued trespass notices before that policy’s adoption. In 2016, the district banned local author Clyde Edgerton from NHCS property due to allegedly gaining access to confidential student records.
PCD asked NHCS Chief Communications Officer Josh Smith why disorderly individuals at the July 13, 2021, meeting were not banned from school grounds.
“Decisions to issue trespass notices are made on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the specific circumstances of each situation,” Smith said.
He also shared that a handful of other trespass notices banning individuals from specific schools have been issued in the last two years, but Coyle’s was the only one ordered by the district. Due to privacy concerns, Smith was not able to provide any details on those notices.
Following the final determination in her case, Eyles emailed Foust, Anderson and school board members on Jan. 11 asking for clarification on the trespass notice process.
“NHCS appears to apply trespass notices inconsistently and without clear processes,” Eyles wrote.
She has not heard back from the district on her request for clarification.
Eyles was issued her trespass notice for two separate incidents. On Sept. 20, Eyles and former board member Stefanie Adams were involved in a verbal altercation sparked by social media comments and a Facebook message exchange between the two women. Law enforcement moved to stand between the two women, yet did not speak to or restrain Eyles; however, Eyles’ aggressive movements and yelling was cited as a disruption.
Then on Nov. 1, Eyles had another outburst and yelled from the back of the Board of Education Center in response to a comment Adams made during the meeting. Adams claimed some people were scared to speak at board meetings due to the presence of activists. Adams told Port City Daily last week she meant both activists from the left and right, but Eyles interpreted it to mean her.
Eyles was ultimately deemed a “serious safety concern” by district staff, as was Coyle.
The letter to Coyle cites his social media posts, one of which reads “we need to be at these BOE members’ workplaces, homes and places they socialize at — they rely on the system to shield them — we must change tactics.” Coyle’s messages also targeted Foust: “let us not forget Fraudster Foust — at the admin building and his home.” Coyle was also accused of “physically intimidating” behavior at board meetings.
Coyle was issued a warning letter the April prior to his trespass notice. According to the notice, Foust said Coyle’s behavior had reached the point of threatening to some staff members and Coyle was warned further actions would result in a trespass order.
Eyles told Port City Daily earlier this month that she received no such warning, nor any communication from district staff that her behavior was an issue.
Reach journalist Brenna Flanagan at brenna@localdailymedia.com
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