Hope School teachers address the Jackson County School Board with safety concerns

MARIANNA, Fla. – Since the beginning of the school year, Hope School teachers have had to get involved with the students from the Center for the Advancement of Children’s Learning, or CACL.

That interaction usually happens during a code red, when one of the CACL students is misbehaving in a violent manner.  

Teachers claim there have been 50 code reds since school began 25 days ago. “But I’m concerned, like I say, for our kids’ safety. I’m concerned about their FAPE, the free public education, that when these things happen, it stops for them. When we’re having to deal with one kid, somebody else’s FAPE is stopped,” says teacher Kelly Parmer 

According to one of the teachers who spoke at Thursday’s school board workshop, people are getting hurt. 

“This is the data from our school nurse, and these are the facts. There have been 15 student visits to the school clinic for violence-related injuries during the school day on campus. There have been approximately ten staff-related visits to the school nurse for violence-related injuries while on duty,” said Paige Cavanaugh, a Hope School teacher. 

Teachers say they want the school board to help make the school a safe place for the students and staff.  

Another Hope School teacher asked, “What are we going to do? Please, let’s make hope specific, and there’s a very special place, and there are a lot of kids there. 142 of them who deserve their free and public education and a place where they are safe.”

Superintendent Hunter Nolen declined to comment.

Instead, Deputy Superintendent Laura Kent issued this statement: “The HOPE School campus has two programs for students with disabilities. Though the students have unique needs, both programs provide a 1-adult-to-3-student ratio.  This year, approximately 45 students and 21 adults were added to the existing Hope School campus. We continue to support the administration and staff of HOPE school as we navigate through the merger of the two programs into a safe and orderly learning environment by increasing security measures on campus and providing training to the adults currently assigned to the campus.”  

But it does not mention any plans to separate the two schools.

Some of the teachers and parents believe the only way to provide a safe learning environment is to separate the two schools onto different campuses.