Carroll ISD Updates Discipline Policy After Racist Video Surfaces
SOUTHLAKE (CBSDFW.COM) - The Carroll school district is updating its written discipline policies after a video surfaced online with students repeating a racial slur.
The board president said there would also be additional racial training with students, parents and staff, after parents criticized the district's response to the video during a special meeting Friday.
The video, which was posted last weekend, shows a group of students responsively shouting the N-word.
Carroll ISD said earlier in the week that consequences were handed down to the students involved.
The closed session portion of the special meeting included an update on that discipline, as well as an update on student and staff safety from parent harassment.
Before the closed session, board members listened for more than an hour to parents who told stories of their own children's experiences with racism in Southlake.
"I can tell you one of the biggest regrets I have, as a parent, as a mom, as a black American, in many ways I regret allowing him to go to Carroll ISD," said Sylvia Mcelvy. "I regret allowing him to stay in the school."
Several parents expressed disappointment with the district's immediate response after the video surfaced, which referenced a "tough social media world" that kids have to live in.
"I was like you know, kids do dumb stuff," said Ronnell Smith. "But that response was totally tone deaf, and that's how we seem to do things here in Southlake. It's all about the kids, about protecting them."
Board president Sheri Mills said work had already started on written code of conduct policies for students. She said they would address hateful, offensive and discriminatory speech, directed at anyone based on race, religion, gender or disability.
"We will figure out a way to have better racial training with our students, with our parents, with our teachers," Mills said. "We will make a difference."