HEMINGWAY, SC (WBTW) – Recent violence in a Pee Dee community prompted a public meeting Saturday in Hemingway.
The meeting lasted nearly three hours and the topic of discussion was finding ways to mend the relationship between parents and teachers.
“We have more adults concerned about what their spouse or what their boyfriend is doing on Facebook rather than what their kids are doing on social media and in the schools,” said Boys & Girls Club Director Andra Dorsey.
Latoya Thompson is a parent and teacher at Hemingway Elementary. Thompson is also a graduate of Hemingway High School’s class of 1994.
“I mean there were fights here and there but it seems like the media had blown it up and with the kids video-taping, making it seem like it was the worst thing ever,” said Thompson.
The meeting Saturday comes after several incidents in the Williamsburg County school district involving employees and students.
In fact, police arrested seven students after multiple fights at Hemingway High School earlier this month. One parent who attended the meeting Saturday spoke out about that fight because her daughter was involved.
“She deals with this and she keeps it inside and I will never know if the other day that fight didn’t broke up so I think the school’s got to get more curriculum within the school system,” mentioned one concerned parent.
“’The school needs to reach out to the parents more. If the parents don’t respond, keep reaching out. It needs to be more togetherness with this,” added Barbara Smalls, another concerned resident at Saturday’s meeting.
Boys & Girls Club Director Andra Dorsey says he agree with Smalls.
“Every relationship needs improving, especially in the small communities and I think that it’s a struggle, it’s a fight, but I think they are coming along,” said Dorsey.
Though there weren’t any school officials here in attendance today organizers say they will be bringing these issues and much more to the school board hoping to find a solution to a problem that’s impacting students and their community.