As children we are taught honesty is the best policy. The very place trusted to educate our children took that approach recently when faced with a national controversy.
Once a photo of student wearing a pointed hood and white robe, sitting in a desk surrounded by other students, quickly spread throughout the community and social media, school leaders did not run and hide. They reached out for help to address the issue and answer questions.
The photo began to surface during the late afternoon hours Friday, Nov. 9. That same afternoon, Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill sent a press release to media explaining the situation and the steps he was taking. By Saturday morning, Dill had spoken with Bishop Ron Webb and reached out to the Daily American Republic to provide more answers to the community.
Within an hour, Dill and Webb were accessible to speak with the DAR about the incident. The two men spoke about the sensitive situation openly and honestly, discussed resolutions and where the community will go next.
"We learn from two ways," Webb said. "Mentors and mistakes."
While a mistake was made, mentors are coming together to help springboard the community to a solution and not let this mistake define the Poplar Bluff R-1 School District or community.
"We must try not to repeat mistakes again, but learn from them," Webb said. "This is not who we are as a community or people. Poplar Bluff is a great community with great people here and we will not let the actions of a few determine the direction of the community."
Moving forward, the school district has taken timely action and been up front with the community about what will happen next.
An indefinite suspension was given to the teacher who allowed the costume to be worn during an American History class for a group presentation.
The district has also proposed sensitivity training and school board President John Scott recommended creating a committee of citizens, school employees and possibly students to find "meaningful solutions" during this month's board of education meeting.
Along with administrators, Scott promised community members solutions will be accomplished.
What the student did, and the teacher allowed, was not "just a part of history," as some have suggested.
"There is no excuse for this, it's something that will not be tolerated or will ever be tolerated on my watch," Dill said. "This can't happen."
Controversial situations are never pleasant to discuss and the DAR applauds Dill and the school district for not hiding. They owned the incident that took place and stepped before citizens with solutions.
That was also the case after incidents that didn't show up on social media. The previous day when a taser was used to break up a fight at the high school and earlier when a junior high student brought a gun to school, Dill was up front about what had happened, as soon as it occurred, and what steps were being taken.
Every child should feel safe in school and focus on learning.
The Poplar Bluff R-1 School District has promised that for its students.
As a community, we should also do our part to make certain our children learn from us more as mentors than from our mistakes.
- Daily American Republic