Privacy laws prevent Smyth school board from commenting on parent allegations
A small group of people were protesting outside the Smyth County Administration building Monday before the school board meeting.
A handful of parents were protesting outside the Smyth County Administration building prior to the School Board’s Monday evening meeting.
The protestors, along with several others, moved inside for the meeting, where several signed up to speak. Despite Vice Chairman Paul Grinstead announcing twice to the crowd that they had to fill out the public comment sign-up form completely – name and physical address, two people only listed their names and were denied the opportunity to speak.
One juvenile was allowed to speak and said that on Thursday, May 21, she was harassed by her teacher. She said the school system failed her following her report of the situation.
“School is supposed to be a safe place,” she said.
Parents have alleged that a Chilhowie Middle School teacher made unwelcome and inappropriate comments.
Billy Stamper, who regularly speaks at school board meetings and is verbally aggressive toward Superintendent Dr. Brad Haga and school board members, said that none of the alleged violations at Chilhowie Middle School had been reported to the Department of Social Services as child abuse.
In a heated statement, Stamper also asked the school board to “get some backbone” and stand up for the students.
Throughout the meeting, some parents and Stamper made snide comments as the board conducted business.
At the meeting’s conclusion, Grinstead apologized that the parents who signed up couldn’t speak. He reiterated that the board must abide by its rules.
Parents responded, yelling out phrases such as “Protect our kids” and “Get pedophiles out the room.” There were angry gestures and angry responses.
One man said he served in the military for 18 years and was deployed to Afghanistan. He said he was there to protect kids.
After the meeting, Haga, citing “state and federal privacy laws relating to student and personnel information,” acknowledged that because it’s an employee and student issue, neither he nor the board members can comment on the matter.
“The Division cannot disclose any information about any student’s report, details of any school-based investigation, or any disciplinary action taken. However, Smyth County Public Schools regards any allegations of misconduct by its employees to be very serious matters. In every case where the Division receives a report of such allegations, SCPS conducts a thorough and sensitive investigation, and imposes discipline and makes other external reports if appropriate at the conclusion of that investigation,” Haga said.
Some of the parents’ frustration may have stemmed from an earlier failed attempt to speak to the School Board. They mistakenly understood that the school board was meeting on May 28 at 3 p.m. The meeting was at 5 p.m. and was not a regular meeting during which public comments were accepted.
Social media posts on Monday evening suggested the parents were trying to take action through the criminal justice system.
Public Comment Guidelines
The School Board’s Public Comment Guidelines are:
∙ Please state name and address.
∙ Public Comment is not a time to debate or ask specific questions to the School Board, administrators or other members of the audience.
∙ Limit comments to 3 minutes.
∙ You will be alerted when your time is up and asked to promptly conclude your remarks.
∙ No speaker will be permitted to make comments or complaints regarding specific students or personnel or specific student or personnel matters. A confidential administrative process must be followed.
∙ No speaker will be permitted to use public comment to target, criticize, or attack individual students. Speakers are respectfully asked to use School Board policies, which outline administrative procedures for addressing complaints about individual students and about individual Smyth County Public Schools personnel prior to raising such matters with School Board members.
∙ Keep your remarks civil and respectful with proper decorum and refrain from using profane or obscene comments, language, or gestures. Speakers are also reminded that when sharing comments or concerns they should refrain from making personal attacks against any identifiable individual.
∙ Any speaker who does not abide by these restrictions may be ruled out of order by the School Board Chair and asked to immediately conclude their comment.
