Parents press Nottoway school board on bullying, campus safety and staff conduct

Several parents and community members urged the Nottoway County School Board on safety and conduct improvements at a public-comment session on May 8.

Benjamin E. Hart told the board his family and others have raised repeated concerns about bullying and alleged staff misconduct, including claims of teachers engaging in sexual relations on campus during school hours and of students finding drugs on teachers' backpacks. "If you can't keep our kids safe, resign," Hart said, later warning that continued failures could lead parents to replace board members in the next election.

Hart also said parents were not notified promptly about a recent incident involving what he described as a fake knife and a stranger on school property, and questioned why metal detectors are disarmed after the tardy bell. "With the metal detectors being disarmed, how are we keeping our kids and staff safe?" he asked.

Chris Page underscored the call for transparency, saying parents have been charged high fees for Freedom of Information Act requests: "I got charged $110 for a few text messages," Page said, adding that he previously faced $1,400 and $1,800 upfront fees when requesting records. Page said those costs discourage oversight and urged the board to pick a superintendent who will change the "status quo."

Multiple speakers said bullying is pervasive across the district. A parent speaking for Marlena Adams described her son's repeated assaults on the bus and questioned a reported policy that alleged bullying must be reported multiple times before staff take action. "How many kids have to continue being harmed emotionally and physically before the school takes us seriously?" she asked.

The meeting record shows parents and commenters repeatedly called for clearer protocols on lockdowns, timely parent notification and disciplinary procedures that ensure student safety without penalizing victims who defend themselves.

The board did not take policy action during the public-comment period; later in the meeting it moved to a closed session to discuss personnel and a student matter. The superintendent's office and district administrators did not provide a response on the record during public comment; the transcript records references that an investigation was reported to the sheriff's office and that some complaints were deemed "unfounded," but no board or administration speaker in the public portion of the meeting offered additional details or timelines for follow-up.