Board suspends 12 students, agrees to provide counseling upon return
Forrest City School Board members voted to suspend 12 students for various violations during their meeting Wednesday.
Students were not identified to the board due to none of the parents asking for open hearings.
The board voted on the students individually, giving at least three a full one-year suspension from the district.
For one particular student, board member Annie Norman asked if the student was given a drug test to which superintendent Dr. Tiffany Hardrick answered no, but said the parents stated the student "admitted to it" when administrators spoke with the parents.
"We know if a student is high or not," said Hardrick.
When put to vote, Norman and board member Evetta Whitby voted against that suspension.
The board voted unanimously to suspend two other students with the only question being from Whitby as to whether or not the student’s parents knew the hearing dates could change.
Hardrick told Whitby the parents were aware and still signed the paperwork that was presented to the board.
For another student, Norman asked if there had been a pattern with behavior and grade problems.
Malcolm Jones, principal at the high school, told the board school officials attempted to work with the student on a several issues but it had not helped.
"If one student gets into it, they get other people in concert with them," said Jones. "Then it goes from one to 10 students involved."
"Was this a problem last year also?" asked Norman, to which Jones said it was.
When put to vote, Whitby voted against the suspension.
The board considered disciplining eight other students, with Hardrick explaining that due to the narrative being the same, and after consulting the district’s attorney, the board would be reviewing those students as a group.
"We reviewed a nauseating amount of video to the point it affected my spirit," said Hardrick of the incident as to why the
students were being suspended, adding that during the incident a teacher was struck.
The board called an executive session to review the recording.
"Is this the only incident like this with a group of kids fighting like this?" asked Whitby after the board returned to open session, to which Hardrick said it was.
"It is sad the adults are egging it on," said board member Larry Devasier.
Norman and board member Roy Hamilton expressed a need for parental involvement and further counseling for the students with issues.
Hardrick said the district could provide counseling to all students when they’re allowed to return to campus.
"Our biggest problem is, let me explain it this way," began Hardrick. "My strongest relationship my daughter has is with me. That is a hard bond to break. When mothers drop off daughters to fight, it is hard to teach you something different against Mom."
"Which is scary for our future," agreed board member Patti Long. "Which is where my heart goes."
"We need to try and help them," Hamilton said, again pushing counseling for the students.
Hardrick said all students would be able to receive counseling upon returning to campus.
The board voted unanimously to suspend seven of the eight students for a semester, with the ability to return to class, and one of the eight students was suspended for a semester, returning to ALE program afterwards. All students are to receive counseling upon their return.
Norman voted a tentative yes due to the nature of the incident.
"I know it's hard," agreed Hardrick.
"I also agree with Mrs. Annie it is hard but we have to have school for the other kids as well," said Long.
In other business, Hardrick recommended that the board renew the district's Odysseyware Software for another year, explaining it provides programming for ALE students.
"It is intended to be a credit recovery program to give kids the opportunity to earn their credits and graduate on time," said Long, who was the administrator for the ALE program before she retired.
Hardrick told the board that ALE course-recovery students could take nine hours of credits versus the six hours of credits students usually take.
The board voted unanimously to approve the renewal.
The board also approved a contract for Kate Makan, a certified Kumon instructor and consultant from Kumon Math & Reading of Conway, to come into the district to support the literacy and mathematics faculty by working with a small group of elementary students who are struggling to achieve academic progress.
Hardrick explained the district is required to use 20% of its ESSER funds to cover learning losses and that Kumon is a tutoring program that is often only available to wealthy families.
“We are trying to bring that level of education into classes," said Hardrick.
The contract shows that Makan would work up to three days a week, between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., with the option to make recommendations for other dates and times as needed. Makan would work with an average of five students at a time at $1,000 a day pay rate, which Hardrick said is a lower cost than average for Kumon consultants.
Hardrick also said the tutoring would be for third through fifth grade students.
"But, right now we will be focusing on fourth and fifth grade," said Hardrick.