After school stabbing, parents speak out at town hall in Fulton County

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Dozens of parents and community members gathered at Banneker High School Monday night, following a stabbing there that hurt two students.

"I’m asking for action," said one parent who spoke at the meeting. "At the end of the day, y’all need these parents."

2 STUDENTS INJURED IN STABBING AT FULTON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, 3 IN CUSTODY

Jason Stamper, the school’s principal, told FOX 5 that the stabbing last Wednesday was in retaliation for a shooting in South Fulton the night before. 

"It did start from an incident that stemmed from a neighborhood the night before," Stamper said. "When we don’t get information that happens in the neighborhood, it spills into the schools and we’re not able to react until it actually happens."

Three students were arrested following the incident, which locked the school down as panicked parents tried to pick up their kids.

The principal said the school now mandates that students only carry clear book bags. Stamper said metal detectors are largely ineffective and impractical to equip the school’s 40+ doors with.

One student who spoke at the town hall said kids have been talking since the incident. 

"There’s been a lot of disappointment that’s been floating around especially with everything that happened Wednesday," said student Ananda Broadnacks. "But, I think the disappointment comes from a place of expectation. We know we can be better than this. The students, the administration, and the school board can do better. Which is why there is so much disappointment."

Many that attended the meeting say the problem goes far beyond the halls of Banneker. 

A few parents said it comes down to treating the mental trauma some kids experience outside of school – while others said – it’s just about learning how to treat one another.

"Until you come to the connection with our parents, it’s not going to work," one parent told the board of school and community leaders.

Stamper said for a school of about 1600 students, there are two school resource officers and four security staff. He said he hopes to increase the number of security staff. 

"We have a student that just made a terrible decision and it affected multiple families, and it shook our school community," Stamper said. "It absolutely did."

The school plans to host a students-only town hall next week, followed by another with the community-at-large.

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