MUSCOGEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
COLUMBUS, GEORGIA
MEDIA RELEASE
MEDIA RELEASE FROM DR. JOHN A. PHILLIPS, JR..
SUPERINTENDENT
MUSCOGEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Muscogee County School District has over 3700 military students enrolled. We have
a long and strong relationship with Ft. Benning. Spencer High School has the greatest
number of military students of any of our schools. All of our counselors have received
training in supporting students whose parents have been deployed, and military personnel
serve as Partners in Education in over half of our schools.
When the Spencer teacher approached the young man about using a cell phone on
campus, contrary to Board of Education policy which is designed to preserve
instructional time and decorum in our schools, the young man did not tell the teacher he
was speaking to his mother in Iraq. He indicated he would not comply with a request to
turn over his cell phone and used profanity. The teacher escorted the young man to the
office, where assistant principals tried to get him to calm himself and to cease the use of
profanity. It was only at this point that administrators learned he was talking to his
mother in Iraq.
The Guidance Department at Spencer High School has arranged for a number of students
to receive calls from parents who are deployed. They would have been happy to do this
for this young man. The issue here was not so much the use of the cell phone as it was
the choices the young man made in handling the situation. We are empathetic to all
students whose parents serve in the armed forces; we do have behavior standards which
we uphold.
The school has been in touch with personnel from Ft. Benning. We are endeavoring to
have the young man readmitted after a three day suspension, which was the first option
for him. It was only after greater defiance and profanity that the suspension was
extended. We will ask that the student and his guardian sign a behavior contract
indicating that he will comply with the same standards of behavior which apply to all of
our students. We will continue to be sensitive to the needs of students whose parents
serve our country.
06 May 2005
Contact: Dr. Billy Kendall – (706) 649-0514 –
bkendall@mcsdga.net
I say the kid copped an attitude and got what is coming to him.