School districts are governed by policy created by local school board members.
Information has recently surfaced causing alarm across the Sheridan School District after the discovery of students on the intermediate school campus that allegedly contain THC.
The intermediate school serves grades 3-5.
Glenn Strong Sr., a grandfather of Sheridan students, is on a mission to help the district stop vaping across all campuses.
In a petition turned in to Sheridan School District Superintendent Chad Pitts, Strong petitioned the school district to hold a public meeting to discuss the epidemic of vapes and the harmful effects of the devices in the hands of children.
Rural school districts are the heart of a community. When something is amiss in a school district, it can affect an entire town and beyond.
That's why community journalism focused on schools is vital.
At South Arkansas Reckoning we dig deeper into school issues that go beyond assembly awards and sports scores. Without a healthy school district, a town cannot have a healthy community.
According to the petition, Strong intends to "discuss the changes in the vaping policy" and "discuss the lack of enforcement of current vaping policy."
Strong told the Reckoning Monday, "I feel the school and community are not doing enough to protect our children. Hopefully after this meeting we will have more clarity and accountability on protecting our children."
Law enforcement officials are concerned about vape use.
"The Sheridan Police Department has two School Resource Officers assigned to the Sheridan School District," Jason Teague, chief of the Sheridan Police Department told the Reckoning in a statement. "The SROs job is for safety and to enforce state law. The officers have seen a significant increase in vapes and THC vapes this school year. We encourage parents to educate themselves about the health risks associated with vaping."
The meeting will be today, Monday, May 19, at 5:30 p.m. in the McKenzie Hall Board Room.
