Clarke County School District Superintendent Dr. Robbie P. Hooker speaks at the CCSD’s Community Conversations panel discussion in Clarke Central High School’s Mell Auditorium on Sept. 6. The panel discussed a wide variety of safety concerns for schools around the district, including possible expulsion for students who are a continued disruption to the learning environment. “Parents must understand, we have to provide a safe place for our students to be educated,” Hooker said. “It’s not gonna be a popular thing, but when we have students who are disrupting to the degree that they need to be expelled from our school system, we need to do it. If we have to think about the other 12,559 (students), we cannot allow one individual to tear separate individuals (apart).” Photo by Aza Khan
CCHS hosted the second of the Clarke County School District’s Community Conversations panel discussions on Sept. 6, covering school safety at schools around the district.
The Clarke County School District held a panel discussion entitled “Community Conversations” at Clarke Central High School regarding district safety protocols on Sept. 6.
The conversation featured Superintendent Dr. Robbie P. Hooker, Assistant Superintendent of Operations Dr. Garrick Askew, Deputy Superintendent for Academic and Student Support Dr. Jennifer Scott, and CCSD Police Chief Terry Reid, each of whom read a statement. Following those prepared remarks, audience members then had the opportunity to submit questions to the panelists, read to them by Executive Director of Public Relations and Communications Dr. Cindee Moore.
Although the topics of discussion varied, all members of the panel emphasized the importance of community influence in schools.
“What we see in our schools sometimes are extensions of what is taking place in our community. Our job here tonight is to listen to your concerns, but (also to find) how we find solutions to resolve some of the matters that are taking place in our schools,” Hooker said.
An infographic displays all of the questions that were asked during the Clarke County School District’s Community Conversations panel discussion at Clarke Central High School’s Mell Auditorium on Sept. 6. CCHS Jaclyn Brown was appreciative of the panel’s purpose in giving community members a place to air their concerns about district safety policy. “I’m just glad that we are facing (the issues of safety) instead of hiding from it and giving everybody a voice to speak,” Brown said. “Anybody could have submitted a question for the panel, whether they were there or submitted it online.” Graphic by Wyatt Meyer
Despite Hooker’s emphasis on the community, his panel spoke to a largely empty Mell Auditorium, a lack of parental support which disappointed Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education Jaclyn Brown.
“I think the whole reason for having the meeting was to give parents an opportunity to come ask questions, speak, and (have people) hear the voice about what’s going on in the community,” Brown said. “We’re talking about the security of your child, the safety of your child, and you didn’t show.”
Although a similar panel discussion occurred at Cedar Shoals High School on Sept. 5, CCHS Assistant Principal Everett Nealy, who was also in attendance, concurred with Brown.
“This is your community. The fact that you’re sending your kids (to our school), you’re trusting us with your kids here, you should be a part of the conversation,” Nealy said.
“This is your community. The fact that you’re sending your kids (to our school), you’re trusting us with your kids here, you should be a part of the conversation.”
— Everett Nealy,
CCHS Assistant Principal
For retired CCSD employee and community member Pearl Hall, the diminutive audience was especially frustrating given the quantity of insights the panel offered.
“I think that Dr. Hooker and Dr. Scott had a lot to share and the community had a lot of questions to be answered,” Hall said. “I just regret that there (were) not enough parents here to get (the) information that was shared.”
Retired Clarke County School District employee Pearl Hall watches the CCSD Community Conversations panel discussion in Clarke Central High School’s Mell Auditorium on Sept. 6. After the panel, Hall expressed her concern with unattended elementary and middle schoolers at high school sporting events, a phenomenon which CCSD Superintendent Dr. Robbie P. Hooker ended with a district policy change on Aug. 23. “When kids come to social events, (parents should) be able to tell (their) children to come to a football game, (but) don’t come alone,” Hall said. “I honestly believe from the depths of my heart that there should not be a middle school to walk on this campus without a parent.” Photo by Aza Khan
While many general topics about the current school year were discussed, future safety initiatives such as student ID cards, metal detectors and a clear backpack policy were discussed with varying degrees of endorsement.
“(Clear backpacks) are something we discussed last school year during the third or fourth quarter of the year, and as a district, we discussed that we have to give our parents opportunities to purchase those clear bags,” Hooker said. “When we talk about heavy metal detectors at our high schools, you have to realize that to be effective, you have to have people at those metal detectors at all times throughout the day.”
Although the panel was noncommittal regarding specifics of if and when any changes would be implemented, Hooker highlighted the importance of students – rather than simply parents – being heard in the decision-making process for the safety protocols.
“I’ve always believed in student voices: that’s why this year we’re implementing a student advisory counsel at every school,” Hooker said. “(Safety concerns) can be topics (for) students to discuss with their principals and principals can bring back to us.”
