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Parents and directors press LRPD to explain pepper-spray deployment at Central High
Summary
Following a pepper-spray deployment at Central High during the first week of school, public commenters and several board directors urged the Little Rock Police Department to brief the board on protocols; directors requested monthly safety reports and a work session with LRPD.
Multiple board members and public commenters told the Little Rock School District Board on Aug. 14 that a pepper-spray deployment at Central High affected students and staff, and urged the district to invite Little Rock Police Department representatives to explain the incident and crowd-control protocols.
Director Strong and others said students walking to class were affected and asked that LRPD officials attend a future work session to explain when such measures are used and what alternatives exist. "If we're gonna be deploying pepper spray and to disperse a crowd, we need to take some other measures before we do that if there is not an imminent danger to other students happening," a director said.
Board members requested a regular, monthly safety-and-security report from the district that would show incidents per school, calls for police, arrests or tickets and other outcomes, and asked safety staff to prepare an update for the September work session. District leaders said the safety director was already investigating and staff would follow up with LRPD.
Public commenters also shared personal accounts of exposure and urged the board to consider crowd-control alternatives and clearer communication to parents and staff.
