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Parents and Young Democrats press Clayton County board over alleged classroom remarks and teen deaths in Lovejoy
Summary
Public commenters urged the board to act after a video circulated showing alleged anti‑education remarks by a teacher, and residents called for more resources for Lovejoy amid two recent teenage deaths; commenters praised the board’s investigation and pressed for supports including sports and town halls.
Speakers during the public‑comment portion of the Nov. 3 Clayton County Board of Education meeting urged immediate action on two separate but pressing concerns: a circulating video of a teacher making inflammatory remarks about women’s education, and community safety and supports in the Lovejoy area following the recent deaths of two teenage students.
Cheryl Gurel, vice president of the Young Democrats of Clayton County, told the board a video "recently emerged showing a teacher making remarks that were not only inflammatory, but profoundly disrespectful, suggesting that women should not be educated." She thanked the board "for acting swiftly, investigating thoroughly, and ensuring accountability," and offered school supplies from the Young Democrats to support district students.
Later in public comment, Latanya Jean Funny, introduced herself as a former Clayton County Public Schools teacher and parent, and urged residents to vote. Funny spoke about the "crisis in our Lovejoy community," noting two teenagers who died in the past few days and asking how many more would need to die before the board prioritized local supports. She called for individualized student services, town‑hall meetings, and stronger emphasis on non‑football sports and extracurriculars as ways to engage students and reduce violence.
Board rules stated speakers had three minutes and that board members generally would not respond during public comment. The meeting record shows the board accepted the comments and later moved into its business agenda.
The board did not announce disciplinary outcomes related to the teacher video during the meeting; a public commenter praised the board’s investigation but did not state the investigation’s findings. Likewise, the board did not announce new, immediate programs specific to Lovejoy during the meeting; several commenters requested data on sports participation and asked the district to explore broader extracurricular access.
Next steps recorded in the meeting included the board taking up personnel and budget items later in the agenda; commenters’ requests for town‑hall style meetings or programmatic investments were noted as items that could be added to future agendas for further administrative follow‑up.
