Feb 17, 2022 5 min read

Some parents of students in the Ringgold School District feel there is too much bullying or fighting taking place in district schools and want it to be addressed.

Some parents addressed the board and administration about this issue at the Feb. 16 meeting of the board that was filled with spectators.

Christine Cox addressed the board that night on another matter, but said she does have concerns about fighting and bullying and how it’s being handled.

Cox said her two children are elementary school students, but her oldest will be attending Ringgold Middle School in the fall. 

“This problem needs to stop,” Cox said. “Many parents have told stories of their own children having issues with fighting and bullying. It’s not just this year. It’s an ongoing situation. I feel terrible for these parents. There should never be this many incidents. Since I have a child going into the middle school, I feel it’s my place to make sure she’s going into a place where she feels safe going every day.”

She said there are parents who are afraid to speak on the issue for fear of their child encountering additional bullying.

Lisa Black has children in the school district. She said her daughter, who is a fifth grader at Ringgold Middle School, has faced bullying. Black said she talked to a reporter about the subject and said it got worse for her daughter.

“The bullying at the middle school is terrible,” she said. “It’s definitely been an issue. She had a no contact order with a girl who continually violated it. There were no repercussions ever. They would talk to them both in the office and send them about their way. At some point, some kind of disciplinary action needs to occur.   

Superintendent Randall Skrinjorich admitted there is a problem, but added that it’s not unique to Ringgold.

“It’s happening all over the country,” he said. “There is an uptick in the behavior of these students. I don’t want to downplay what the parents said. I’m not going to say it not’s happening, but this is not the only district that it’s happening in.” 

Skrinjorich said the issues are being addressed in the district.

“We’re trying to get more support with social workers and analysts coming in here,” he said. “Our principals will be sitting down with the student body to go through some of these issues.”

In Cox’s mind, there does not sees to be strict enough discipline being taken for students committing offenses such as bullying.

“It seems like the victims’ lives in school are being turned completely upside down,” she said. “The bully is just going on with the typical day. If they were doing the right thing there would not be so many incidents of fighting. As far as I can tell, they’re not reprimanding in the correct way.”  

Black would like to have a police presence in the school buildings.

Skrinjorich said some of the steps parents want taken, the district just can’t do.

“Some parents say just get these kids out of the building. It’s not as easy for the school district. We’re required to educate children. 

Skrinjorich said some of these posts date back eight years and there are some that didn’t even take place on district property.  

“A lot of them we’ve had Instagram take down in the past and somehow these kids get them posted back up again,” he explained. “One of them, this is the third time we’ve had to call them to ask them to take it down.” 

Cox wasn’t appeased.

“There should never be that many (videos),” she said. “I don’t care if these videos were from three years combined. That’s too many.”

She said that many students are afraid to go to the bathroom during the school day because that’s reportedly are where fights are taking place. She said one recent fight in a bathroom features the participants using boxing gloves.

Cox said the biggest issue related from district officials at that meeting was that staff and security personnel have been busy with taking temperatures and didn’t have the time to have students go through metal detectors. She said using the metal detectors and checking backpacks can be helpful.

Black said the only difference she has noticed since the meeting has been a crackdown on the students’ phones.

“The reason they’re pushing to take the phones when they’re out is that the kids are recording these fights and they don’t want the evidence of these videos popping up again where they have to answer for it,” she said. 

The school’s mask mandate was lifted as of Tuesday, …..

Skrinjorich said some parents have contacted Washington County District Attorney …., who said he has a great line of communication with the Ringgold School District.

Skrinjorich did say charges will be filed if it is warranted.

“There may be charges depending on what some of these things are,” he said. “Some of it will depend on the age of student. We follow the code of conduct and the law to the extent that we can.” 

His response was that their office has a great line of communication with Ringgold, and we handle things that come up.    

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