Watch: Richland Two School Board Wants to Hear from Students
Richland County, S.C. (WOLO) — Preventing incidents like the one between a Spring Valley High School student and resource officer Ben Fields is a top priority for the Richland Two school board.
Susan Brill, Vice Chairman of the board says, “It was very, very difficult emotionally very trying and it was just unfortunate on many levels.”
The incident drew national and international attention and criticism.
“It’s not anything we ever want to repeat,” Brill explains.
It wasn’t just parents, teachers and community members who had thoughts on the brawl.
Brill tells ABC Columbia, “Some of the kids did try to step forward later that very day and then there were other students that were also supportive of the SRO so there were differences of opinions there.”
Hearing those opinions directly from students, that’s the purpose of the newly proposed student advisory council.
She says, “There’s so many decisions that we make that impact the students and so it’s great to hear what is it that would be important to them.”
Student representatives from each high school, middle school and elementary school in the district will make up the council, which will meet with the school board on a regular basis.
An opportunity parents welcome.
“We’re all there, the school board, parents, teachers everybody’s there because of the students. I think it’s great that they’re taking the opportunity to listen to the voices of those students that aren’t often heard from,” says Dana Pow, parent and School Improvement Committee Member.
Members of the school board say they hope to complete the application process by the end of this school year so that the committee is in place by the start of they new year.
