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300 Brinkley Students Walk Out Over Alleged Inequality
Hundreds of Brinkley students were not in their traditional classrooms Wednesday. Instead they were getting their lessons in a church.
Tim Harvey, a 10th grader, says “We did some math work and some essays like we normally do in math and English class."
Harvey is one of 300 students who skipped school. He says black students aren't being treated fairly.
"It's almost like a status thing. Certain students get different treatments,” he says.
Minorities make up 60 percent of the student body according to the district.
"Our staff doesn't reflect that. Our administration doesn't reflect that," says school board member Lovie Wofford.
Wofford says that's not fair. So she hopes a walkout during benchmark testing will send a message to the state.
"If we can get someone to hear us; we're struggling. We're suffering. Our children are not getting the best education that they can get," she says.
Rev. Oscar Conyears opened the doors of his church for the students who weren't in class. He says inequality in the district is being done on purpose.
"[There’s] a superintendent that is racist. He may not admit that, but being black all your life, you know when someone's being fair and someone is being unfair."
"I would think it's way out of line, yes," says Superintendent Randy Byrd.
Byrd says this whole situation isn't about students but instead something personal. The district recently cut jobs because of declining revenue.
"Some of the people that are pushing this are directly involved with people we have been forced to release. So yes, I think it's personal,” he says.
Byrd says the district has a person who works to recruit minority teachers, but he says there's not a lot to choose from.
"It's difficult to draw teachers to the Delta,” he says. “It's even more difficult to keep them here. We've made a concerted effort to increase those numbers."
In 2004, the district had about 21 percent minority teachers. Last year that number was up to just more than 24 percent. Byrd says even though that's an increase, it's still not as much as he'd like.
Many in the black community say that's an understatement.
"There's a need for black role models," says Conyears.
According to documents from the school district, Reverend Conyears wife, Gloria, is the coordinator of the minority recruitment plan. She is also the middle school principal, but the reverend says she'll be the dean of students next year which is not an administrative spot.
The students say they will stay out of class for the rest of the week.
Hundreds of Brinkley students were not in their traditional classrooms Wednesday. Instead they were getting their lessons in a church.
Tim Harvey, a 10th grader, says “We did some math work and some essays like we normally do in math and English class."
Harvey is one of 300 students who skipped school. He says black students aren't being treated fairly.
"It's almost like a status thing. Certain students get different treatments,” he says.
Minorities make up 60 percent of the student body according to the district.
"Our staff doesn't reflect that. Our administration doesn't reflect that," says school board member Lovie Wofford.
Wofford says that's not fair. So she hopes a walkout during benchmark testing will send a message to the state.
"If we can get someone to hear us; we're struggling. We're suffering. Our children are not getting the best education that they can get," she says.
Rev. Oscar Conyears opened the doors of his church for the students who weren't in class. He says inequality in the district is being done on purpose.
"[There’s] a superintendent that is racist. He may not admit that, but being black all your life, you know when someone's being fair and someone is being unfair."
"I would think it's way out of line, yes," says Superintendent Randy Byrd.
Byrd says this whole situation isn't about students but instead something personal. The district recently cut jobs because of declining revenue.
"Some of the people that are pushing this are directly involved with people we have been forced to release. So yes, I think it's personal,” he says.
Byrd says the district has a person who works to recruit minority teachers, but he says there's not a lot to choose from.
"It's difficult to draw teachers to the Delta,” he says. “It's even more difficult to keep them here. We've made a concerted effort to increase those numbers."
In 2004, the district had about 21 percent minority teachers. Last year that number was up to just more than 24 percent. Byrd says even though that's an increase, it's still not as much as he'd like.
Many in the black community say that's an understatement.
"There's a need for black role models," says Conyears.
According to documents from the school district, Reverend Conyears wife, Gloria, is the coordinator of the minority recruitment plan. She is also the middle school principal, but the reverend says she'll be the dean of students next year which is not an administrative spot.
The students say they will stay out of class for the rest of the week.
The students boycotted again Thursday and probably today, Friday. This isn't a new idea for Delta schools; last year teachers in another district striked because a pay raise did not take place. Hopefully this superintendent can come to a peaceable agreement with his community leaders and these kids' test taking will not be affected.
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