Lake View Parents Lash Out at School Board

SAN ANGELO, TX — Parents of Lake View High School students packed Monday night’s San Angelo ISD board meeting, voicing frustration over the district’s decision to close campus lunch and what they described as overcrowding, long lines, and students going without meals.

Several parents and community members accused district leaders of treating Lake View unequally compared to Central High School, where open campus lunch remains in place until a new cafeteria is built.

During the public comments portion of the meeting, Sarah Alexander told the board, “At Lake View, kids are locked down in an overcrowded school that doesn’t have the infrastructure to feed that many kids, despite your official response to the media. Children are indeed going hungry, and it is a lie to say that they are not.”

She called the policy unfair, arguing that students were being punished for incidents that happened at Central. “Our kids are locked down like prisoners, but at least prisoners are guaranteed meals. Kids at Lake View aren’t,” she said. Alexander urged the board to restore open campus lunch for juniors and seniors or allow food trucks on site, warning that parents were prepared to stage a walkout if conditions do not improve.

Other parents echoed her frustration. Regina Torres said, “Quit treating Lake View like the red-headed stepchild.”

One father, Virgil Pacetti, criticized district communication, claiming officials deflected parent concerns about cafeteria capacity. He described seeing students forced to eat in stairwells and hallways, calling it unsanitary. “The first thing you have to do is admit there’s a problem, because without that, there’s never a solution,” he said.

Another parent said her child and others had been served only mashed potatoes or missed meals entirely because of time constraints. She also raised concerns about restroom access during the school day. “It is not acceptable for any child to go without a meal or an opportunity to eat,” she told trustees.

Students joined parents in speaking out, including a Lake View senior who described experiencing hunger and anxiety due to overcrowded lunch conditions. She said the overcrowded lunch period has left her lightheaded during extracurricular activities. “This is supposed to be the best year for me, and I’ve never felt like my school didn’t care for me and not want me to eat, because that’s what it feels like,” she said.

During the meeting, Superintendent Christopher Moran said the closed campus decision was necessary to protect instructional time and improve safety. He said Lake View’s cafeteria can serve students with adjustments, while Central cannot yet close because of its cafeteria, with a seating capacity of less than 400, with 2,600 students.

Moran also addressed parent complaints about food shortages, saying a one-day delay in preparing chicken nuggets created the perception of a shortage, but that students were able to eat.

UPDATE: San Angelo ISD Responds to Lake View Lunch Complaints

Board members acknowledged the concerns but reminded parents that the board cannot debate policy during public comment under the Texas Open Meetings Act. Board President Taylor Kingman told parents afterward that issues could be addressed through meetings with campus leaders, the superintendent, or the district’s grievance process.

"Children not eating is not acceptable," Kingman told the parents before entering executive session. "We're looking at everything, and we want to make the right decision." 

Despite those explanations, parents leaving the meeting vowed to keep pressing the district. Several said the turnout signaled a stronger Lake View parent presence that would continue at future meetings.