Based on my personal experiences, I have serious concerns about Mr. Phillips' effectiveness as a staff member at Vista Middle School. I believe these concerns deserve careful review to determine whether additional support, corrective action, or other appropriate steps are necessary. My intention is not to make assumptions about his overall character, but to describe specific situations that have led me to question whether students are receiving the guidance and supervision they need.

One recurring issue has been a lack of responsiveness when students ask reasonable questions. During outdoor PE classes on the track, my classmates and I occasionally needed clarification about class instructions or where we were supposed to go. On several occasions, our questions were ignored or met with dismissive reactions instead of helpful answers. In one instance, this resulted in several students arriving late to our next class because we were unable to get the information we needed in time. Afterward, I politely asked Mr. Phillips if he could send a brief email to our next teacher explaining why we were late. His response was, "Nah, I'm a busy man." As a result, I and several other students were marked late despite the circumstances. I felt this was disappointing because resolving the situation would have required very little effort and would have helped students avoid being penalized.

Another incident that continues to concern me involved student safety. A student was carrying a large stick outside and was swinging it around, hitting my friends and other students. I asked Mr. Phillips if he could take the stick away or otherwise address the situation, but I did not observe any action being taken. Later, the same student used the stick to touch me inappropriately. (Caressed my butt 😒) I reported the incident to Mr. Phillips because I believed the situation could have been prevented if the stick had been taken away when concerns were first raised. From my perspective, the behavior was not addressed appropriately, and I did not see the student receive any consequences. That experience left me feeling unsafe and frustrated.

These experiences have led me to lose confidence in Mr. Phillips' ability to consistently supervise students, respond to concerns, and maintain a safe learning environment. I hope the school will review these concerns, speak with the students involved, and determine what actions, if any, are appropriate to ensure that all students feel heard, supported, and safe at Vista Middle School.