NAACP files investigation following knife incident at Easton Elementary School
TALBOT CO., Md. – A local parent is speaking out following a potentially racially charged knife incident at Easton Elementary School.
As a result, the NAACP Chapter of Talbot County is requesting an investigation to find out what unfolded. A formal letter was sent alerting the media and school officials of the investigation.
In response, 47 ABC sat down with both the parent who alleges their daughter was the victim to potential violence, as well as Richard Potter, President of the NAACP Chapter of Talbot County.
The incident occurred on October 11th, where a student brought a knife to school and it was removed from their backpack. According to reports, it was circulated across social media, Snapchat, days prior to the incident. Since then, the parent, who wishes to remain anonymous tells us they made multiple attempts to alert school officials of concerns for her daughters safety.
Her child has not returned to school since the incident and at this time we’re told there are no plans for a return until change is made.
Since the parent believes there has been no serious action or change, she decided to move forward with getting the NAACP involved.
“There just needs to be some consistency and my child’s safety is the bare minimum. That’s a request that I’m not willing to compromise on and I don’t expect any parent to. I don’t think that I’m just advocating for my child either, I think I want all children to be safe.”
And as a desire to keep her child safe, she’s asking the NAACP to help launch the investigation.
At this time, the details of that investigation are not shared with the media.
47ABC asked Potter and the parent if they believe the incident was racially charged after it was mentioned in the press release. Both explained they could not comment on the matter at the time until the investigation proceeded. However, they did tell us once they could speak on the matter it would be shared with the media.
Potter tells 47 ABC that school safety is a concern and it’s a conversation that needs to be had, not just for this single incident or student, but for all students, and what he calls “inconsistencies” with school regulations and protocols.
“We need these situations to be taken seriously, we need all members to be held accountable when things like that happen and we don’t follow our processes, we need to ensure that because that’s protecting our kids’ safety in these schools,” Potter explained.
A school board meeting will be held this week in which the NAACP says they will be in attendance.
It’s also important to note that we reached out to superintendent of schools, Kelly Griffith, about the investigation. Griffith responded with, “I will not be commenting.”
47 ABC will continue to follow this developing story and provide updates as we learn more.
