Frustrations boil over at NAACP meeting

♦ Parents are looking for a response from FCS on complaints of racism.

Coosa High School parents are looking for more action from Floyd County Board of Education members and administrators to address incidents involving racial harassment at the school.

Many of their complaints stem from incidents that took place last year and earlier this school year. Videos circulating on social media last week reignited frustrations.

Students had planned to host a protest at the school Friday but were swiftly shut down by Principal Judson Cox and the law enforcement presence was increased on campus.

Instead, the Rome NAACP held a community meeting Saturday that drew about 15 to 20 adults. Second Vice President Charles Love said they’re just gathering information for now — listening to parents before they move forward with any action. Right now, they don’t know what kind of action they might take.

The group had already sent a letter, on March 24, citing some complaints by students and parents to the Floyd County school system’s superintendent, Glenn White. Love said they didn’t receive any response — from either White or school board members.

Jessica Murray, who has two daughters at CHS, talked about some of the harassment her daughters have faced from both students and teachers. She said one of her daughters was called a racial epithet by a teacher and was told she was violating dress code by wearing a shirt picturing George Floyd. The handcuffed man died slowly in front of a horrified crowd in May 2020 with a Minneapolis police officer’s knee on his neck.

Murray said she has tried reaching out to school board members and White, but she has gotten no response so far.

Other parents present said they have run into similar issues with the administration and seen very little action taken to defend their children. Several said their kids seem to receive harsher punishment than some of the white kids at the school for the same infractions.

However, NAACP President Sara Dahlice Malone pointed out that they can’t know that for sure, since punishments would be confidential.

The NAACP is asking anyone with concerns about racial disparities or harrassment at Coosa or other local high schools to contact them by email at Romenaacp@yahoo.com.