Incident involving Monroe County student gains attention from NAACP

The incident is raising concerns from the NAACP and the student's parents.

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – An incident involving a Monroe County school is gaining attention from the NAACP. Two students were involved in inappropriate activity on the Hamilton campus last school year.

Both students were sent to alternative schools. One student did receive a longer punishment after posting a video of the inappropriate activity on social media.

The incident is raising concerns from the NAACP and the student’s parents.

James Cook is the Branch Manager for the NAACP of Aberdeen and Monroe County.

He said the student requires an individualized education plan, and protocols to meet the student’s needs were not recorded.

“When it comes down to dealing with special ed children, they function by an agreement that is called an IEP. And for them to place him in alternative school that would require a special meeting, that would have had to follow. Now, for you to say you have it, but there is no record of it. That’s questionable to me,” Cook said.

According to the Monroe County School District Handbook interventions for IDEA students will be determined by an IEP committee from the student’s home campus. Interventions and IDEA services will be utilized for the length of the student’s stay. IEPs will be utilized.

Felisha Verner is the mother of the student and an employee of the school district.

She said her son’s punishment seems unfair and is affecting him in the classroom.

“With him having an IEP, he has a very difficult learning away from a school setting. With him being placed over there for that amount of time and not getting what he actually needs in his educational setting for him to actually be successful in the classroom, that’s a concern for me because I’m not saying he didn’t deserve any type of punishment but I’m saying the punishment was too excessive,” Verner said.

According to Verner, the student only has time with a special education teacher during eighth period, at the end of the school day.

The pair have filed with the Mississippi Department of Education for a due process hearing and Verner is seeking legal counsel.

“We’re not looking for a fight. We are just looking for what is right,” Cook said.

“When it comes to the education of my children, as a parent, I’m going to do what I got to do,” Verner said.

Cook and Verner have met with high school staff and a district representative to discuss the issues.

WCBI reached out to Monroe County’s Superintendent Chad O’Brian, and released the following statement:

“You may have seen social media posts about the school district and its handling of a student matter. Please know that we treat every student fairly and equitably in accordance with school district policy. Just because someone posts their version of the situation, please do not assume that their version is factually correct. We do not, and will not, respond to social media complaints. We will respond to complaints that follow proper district procedures. Thanks for your understanding and support for our school district.”

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