HAMILTON COUNTY, Fla. — Parents are calling for change at Hamilton County Schools.
Several of them reached out to WTXL about what they say is unfair treatment at the school district.
They shared their stories with Stephen Jiwanmall.
Ny'Toria Whitaker, an 8th grader at Hamilton County High School, said an argument on the bus turned into a fist fight. She and another student got into it on the way home from school.
"She grabbed my hair and started hitting me and stuff," said Whitaker.
She said the bus driver didn't stop the fight and that's what bothers her mother.
"These kids bring weapons to school today. He didn't think about whether or not either one of them possessed a knife or anything. They could've killed each other," said Schyvonne Clare, a Hamilton County parent.
Ny'Toria is serving an out-of-school suspension until further notice. But so is her older sister Alicia, who says she wasn't even part of the fight.
"It's really hurting my graduation status, to be honest. At this point, I'm not sure if I'm graduating," said Alicia Weir, Senior at Hamilton County High School.
Some parents say the district is unpredictable when it comes to who gets in trouble.
"One child gets suspended. The other child gets a slap on the hand. It's not consistent," said Monica Green, another Hamilton County parent.
Other parents claim the district doesn't communicate when things happen to their children.
Kadejah Lee says she picked up her daughter from school one day and found a bump on the child's forehead.
"It makes me feel like she's in a school that just don't care about the students," said Lee.
We spoke with the superintendent about the concerns these parents have. He said because some of these cases are ongoing and involve minors, the district cannot officially comment on them.
Parents said they're organizing a public rally to protest how the school district is treating their children.
They also plan to address the school board at its next meeting.
