Mathews residents, angered over recent changes within the athletic department at Mathews High School, addressed their concerns to the school board.

The comments came during the start of Tuesday night’s meeting in the MHS media center. Approximately 60-70 residents filled the library.

Primarily, they spoke of the decision to eliminate the position of athletic director at MHS, placing those duties in the hands of current MHS assistant principal Alexis Foster, as well as two assistant ADs and an employee who has taken on field maintenance chores.

There was also an attempt to bring up the renewal of an effort to remove MHS physical education/health teacher and coach Charles Anthony “Tony” Forrest from the classroom—although much of that discussion was shut down because it involved a personnel matter.

School board chair Linda Hodges made it clear from the outset that the school board would not respond to citizen comments, and in spite of some speakers angrily dem...